Deva: A late bloomer who owned the streets

CHENNAI: Tamil film music industry encourages prodigies and clings on to them. Deva was a late bloomer, thereby an outlier. Born Devanesan Chokkalingam in 1950, he grew up in Mylapore. His father was a clerk in the postal department who played tabla as a hobbyist, but discouraged his son from pursuing a career in film music.

He was 36 when he made his debut with Maattukara Mannaru (1986) and became a notable composer with the 1989 film Vaigasi Poranthachu. Deva will go on to score music in about 400 films in all south Indian languages.

When Deva was signed to score for Rajinikanth’s 1992 film, Annamalai, his first collaboration with the Superstar, a railway porter who identified him told him to score good music for his Thalaivar’s movie. Whether it was a request or warning, Deva couldn’t figure out. “I was a bit scared,” Deva recalled of the interaction in an interview with, actor-producer, Chitra Lakshmanan.

In Annamalai, Deva hit all the right notes, but it was the ‘Super Star’ title card that has remained the constant in all of Rajini’s films for over 30 years, even until his latest, Jailer-2. In the same year (1992), Deva scored for Sarathkumar’s Sooryan. The background score for comedian, Goundamani, went on to become a cult classic.

He scored for two more films for Rajinikanth – the cult-classic, Baasha (1995) and Arunachalam (1997). In his condolence message on Saturday, Superstar Rajinikanth recalled how he was put in a tight spot, when he had to choose AR Rahman to compose for Padayappa (1999), and how gracefully Deva handled the situation. “Deva did Annamalai, Baasha, and Arunachalam with me, and all three were huge hits. However, my friends compelled me to work with ARR for Padayappa. So I went to Deva with a heavy heart and informed him. He stood up, held my hands, and said, ‘Please go ahead. He is a talented boy and he is upcoming. I wish you all the best.”

Deva went on to collaborate with Kamal Haasan for the 1996 cult classic, Avvai Shanmugi, and then in 2002, Panchathanthiram and Pammal K Sambandam.

Deva also collaborated with then upcoming stars, (Chief Minister) Vijay and Ajith and gave several memorable albums with the next generation of stars. Deva and (CM) Vijay have worked together in over a dozen films, with Vijay crooning to a song in several of them. Some of Ajith’s memorable albums were courtesy of Deva.

He was also a sought-after singer and apart from performing in his own music, he has collaborated even with present day composers like GV Prakash, Anirudh Ravichander, Santosh Narayanan.

He was also a spiritual person and remained an ardent devotee of Mel Maruvathur Bangaru Adigalar, for whom he had composed a devotional album.

Recipient of several state awards, Deva was also sought after by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for AIADMK’s election campaign songs. The party bestowed him with the post of chairman of Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nadaga Mandram in 2011. His song, Thanjavuru Manneduthu from the movie Porkalam was played at the last rites of former Singapore President SR Nathan, at his request.

Deva tried to carve a niche when the studios preferred Ilaiyaraaja, a towering figure and AR Rahman, the up and coming prodigy. Though decorated with the moniker, ‘Thenisai Thendral’ by legendary film composer, MS Viswanathan, it was with Chennai Gaana, Deva owned the streets.

Not just for the Superstar, his songs became anthems for the common man too. Salomiya from the 1998 Kannethirey Thondrinal is a friendship anthem. Autokaaran from Baasha is still the go-to song in auto stands across the State during Ayudha Pooja celebrations.