K. V. Mahadevan


Krishnankoil Venkadachalam Mahadevan was an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, and musician known for his works in Tamil cinema, Telugu cinema, Kannada cinema, and Malayalam cinema. He is best known for his contributions in works such as Manchi Manasulu, Lava Kusa, Thiruvilaiyadal, Saraswathi Sabatham, Kandan Karunai, Thillana Mohanambal, Adimai Penn, Balaraju Katha, Athiparasakthi, Sankarabharanam, Saptapadi, Sirivennela, Sruthilayalu, Pelli Pustakam, and Swathi Kiranam.
A contemporary of M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy, starting his career in 1942 with Manonmani, Mahadevan scored music for over six hundred feature films, spanning four decades, and has garnered two National Film Awards, the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director, three Nandi Awards for Best Music Director, and the Filmfare Best Music Director Award. He was also conferred the title of "Thirai Isai Thilagam" in Tamil cinema.

Early life and career

K. V. Mahadevan was born in 1918 at Krishnancoil, a locality in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District. Father Venkadachalam Bhagavathar and Mother Pichaiyammal
K. V. Mahadevan, also called by his honorific name Thirai Isai Thilagam, did music composing for more than 50 years, beginning from 1942 till 1993.

Selected filmography

Tamil

Malayalam

K.V.Mahadevan, at the time of his death, was survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters. The famous son being V. Mahadevan, whose debut role was that of a Judge in the Tamil film Maasilamani.

Death

K.V. Mahadevan died on 21 June 2001 in Chennai when he was 83.