THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalam film industry’s first techno-musician K. J. Joy passed away in Chennai in the wee hours on Monday, said industry sources.

He has worked in nearly 200 films, including 12 Hindi films.

The tag of techno-musician came to Joy as he began the trend of using technology, including the use of key board in South Indian cinema for the first time.

77-year-old Joy, hailing from Trissur, began his music career as an accordion artiste under his guru M. S. Viswanathan, who launched him as a full time music director in the 1975 Malayalam film ‘Love Letter’, after which he never looked back.

After suffering a stroke, Joy had been mostly keeping to his house in Chennai, where the last rites would be held.