Salutes to the Our Beloved "Ravindran Mash"

[Cindy]

Veteran music director Ravindran dies:

Veteran composer Ravindran, who scored the music for nearly 2,000 Malayalam film songs, passed away at a private hospital in Chennai Thursday.

Ravindran, 62, was suffering from throat cancer. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Winner of several national and state awards for music direction, Ravindran was also an accomplished singer. The last film he composed for was "Mizhirandillum", which was released late last year.

Actor Mohanlal said he was deeply shocked to learn about Ravindran's death.

"More than a professional loss, it is a personal loss for me. I met him last about two months ago when he called me to sing a song. But after reaching the recording studio in Kochi and hearing the song, I expressed my inability to sing it because I felt I shouldn't spoil the beautiful song.

"Even though he was suffering, he would never talk about it. I used to speak to him often. But that will not happen any more...."

Ravindran gave music for films like "His Highness Abdullah", "Bharatam", "Aram Thampuran" - all box office hits starring Mohanlal.

Born in Kollam in 1943, he studied music at the Swathi Thirunal School of Music here and in the late 1960s left for Chennai in search of a career in music.

After singing a few songs in 1966, he went hunting for a job to the Middle East but his passion for music brought him back to Chennai.

Ace producer Sureshkumar with whom Ravindran had close links fondly recalled their association dating back to 1978.

"His first film as an independent music director was 'Choola' in 1979. He always thought differently," said Sureshkumar.

"Thenum Vayambhum", a film starring evergreen Malayalam hero Prem Nazir in 1981, announced the arrival of Ravindran in a big way with all the songs in the film going on to become all-time hits.

"I was the chief organiser of that film and we scored the music at a Youth Hostel here. He was certainly of a different breed altogether and after the hit of 'Thenum Vayambhum', he got the tag of one who cold beat all when it came to melodious music," said Sureshkumar.

After that Ravindran composed music for around seven of Sureshkumar's films.

Ravindran, it is said, was instrumental in moulding the career of award-winning playback singer K.S. Chithra when in 1982 he asked her to look for a career in Chennai.

-Indo-Asian News Service

[Sandeep]

The latest from Raveendran "Vadakkumnathan".

Great loss for malayalam film music

[mallufan]

Raveendran maintained his class till his end...The songs are great....Noone else in Malayalam can recreate Raveendran magic.

[blahblah]

Remember "Pularkaala sundara swapnathil njanoru poompattayaayinnu ....",from Oru Maymasappulariyil?That's my fav from Him. Yes I am sad hat he is no more.We have really lost a genuine musician.