Karthik Raja Biography 
Karthik Raja is an Indian music composer who concentrates in Tamil language. He is also a singer, musician, piano artist and keyboard artist. His debut film as a music composer is Alexander in 1996. He was born on 29th June 1973.
His parents are Ilayaraja, the popular music composer in Tamil and Jeeva. He has one younger brother Yuvan Shankar Raja and one sister Bhavatharini. His brother and sister have also worked with him in many films. He studied in St. Bede’s School in Chennai. He married Raja Rajeswari at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh in India.
He inherited musical talent from his father and he joined Trinity School of Music and got his training in Western Classical music. His gurus were T. V. Gopalakrishnan and Dakshina Murthy Swami. He is greatly inspired by the Western and Indian classical music and jazz. He worked as the keyboard player for the song Kannukkum in the film Ninaikka Therindha Manam when he was just 13 years old.
His debut music composing was for the song Pandiyanin Rajiyathil in the film Pandiyan in the year 1992. He also composed music for many television series. He is interested very much in composing the background scores for the films. He worked with his dad in composing the background scores from 1992 to 1995.
His favorite music composers are S.D. Burman, R. D. Burman, M. S. Viswanathan in Indian and Bach and Mozart in Western world. He also likes the pop music of Michael Jackson. He used violin for the song Konjum Mandal in Ullasam, Unakenna Raasa in Manikyam, and metal acoustic for the song Un Perai Chonnale in Dum Dum Dum and electric heavy metal in Vaalibam in Ullaasam.
Some of his albums are Split Wide Open, Kaathalai Gauravikkum Neram, India Unlimited, Haule Haule, Meri Jaan Hindustan, etc. Some of the films for which he composed background scores and music are Rettaisuzhi, Anything for You, Chakkara Viyugam, Mukhbiir, Murugaa, Manathodu Mazhaikalam, Oru Ponnu Oru Paiyan, Maamadurai, Thullura Vayasu, Naalai, Mercury Pookkal, Kudaikul Mazhai, Singara Chennai, Ragasiyamai, Inii, Rightaa Thappaa, Grahan, Pudhiya Geethai, Raju Chacha, Kadhala Kadhala, Naam Iruvar Nammaku Iruvar, etc.
He won Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent for the film Grahan in 1998 and Cinema Express Award for Best Music Director for the film Dum Dum Dum in 2001.
Published: N/A
Updated: April 25, 2012
