Deva Biography 
Deva is a very popular music director of South Indian movies who concentrates on Tamil most. He is known as the "Father of Gaana Genre" in the Tamil film industry and his contributions to Tamil film music are indeed remarkable. He has composed for more than 400 films till now in a short career span of just 20 years and has been very active in the industry during 90’s. He is an indispensible part of Tamil music during 90’s and done music for many super hit songs of Rajinikanth’s movies like Baasha and Annamalai. But he used one of the popular tunes of R.D.Burman in the movie Caravan to compose the popular track – Nee nadanthaal nada azhaku. His religious compositions for movies are equally popular. His son Srikanth Deva and brothers Sabesh-Murali are also music directors. His nephew Jai is an actor. Other top successful movies are Kathal kottai, Vaali, Khushi and Avvai Shanmukhi.
Deva was born on November 20, 1950 to M. C. Chokkalingam and M. C. Krishnaveni. Young Deva was very interested in music and he used to conduct stage shows on music. He did his formal training in music under Dhanraj and completed a course in Western music at Trinity College of Music in London. Then he worked for a short time in television before entering movies.
He debuted as a film music director of Tamil movies through the film Manasukkeththa Maharaasa released in 1989. Movie Vaigasi Poranthachu was his biggest break to Tamil movies and after that he became a popular and reputed name of music. In 1990, he received his first Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director for the movie - Vaigasi Poranthachu and in 2000 for Khushi. He received Kalaimamani Award in the year 1992. In 1995, he won state awards again for Aasai. He received Filmfare nomination for Baasha in 1995. In 1996, he was nominated for Kathal kottai, in 1997 for Nerukku Ner and in 1999 for Vaali. He received Filmfare nomination for the last time for Mugavuree and Khushi in 2000.
A few of his hit Tamil movies include – Baasha, Arunachalam, Suriyan, Kattabomman, Panchalankurichi, Kalluri vaasal, Kathal kottai, Vedam, Deva, Rasigan, Vaigasi Poranthachu, Aasai, Aaha, Dum, Bagavathi, Mugavura, En Aasai Machan, Gokulathil Seethai, Avvai Shanmukhi, Nesam, Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga, Shakthi, Natpukkaga, Minsara Kanna, Vaali, Abhimanyu, Bharathi Kannamma, Pammal K. Sambandam, Khushi, Chocolate and Dharma Chakaram.
Published: N/A
Updated: October 01, 2013
