Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 3 (PTI) The film and music fraternity of Kerala, along with leaders from across the political spectrum, joined thousands of music lovers on Tuesday to mourn the demise of popular music director S P Venkatesh.
Venkatesh, 70, died in Chennai on Tuesday, leaving behind a rich musical legacy that shaped Malayalam cinema for decades.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the death of Venkatesh was an irreparable loss to cultural Kerala.
In his condolence message, Vijayan described the composer as one of the most important figures in Malayalam film music, whose evergreen songs continue to live in the hearts of Keralites.
The chief minister noted that Venkatesh’s melodies were an inseparable part of Malayalam cinema during the 1980s and 1990s, and that his innovative approach to background music remains influential even today.
Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan also paid tribute, calling Venkatesh a composer who ushered in a golden era of hit songs.
He said Venkatesh won the hearts of Keralites with timeless melodies and left a lasting mark on the industry.
Referring to the Mohanlal-starred iconic film ‘Rajavinte Makan,’ he said the movie not only helped elevate the actor to superstardom but also firmly established Venkatesh as a composer of great distinction.
The Opposition Leader further said that Venkatesh carried forward the musical legacy of great composers such as Salil Chowdhury and Shyam.
Describing him as a magician of melody, he said Venkatesh created waves both in song composition and background scoring, and that his music continues to appeal to listeners across generations.
Several leading artists from the film industry also expressed their grief.
Singer Sujatha Mohan termed his passing a great loss to the world of music and said his melodies would remain immortal.
Director Jayaraj, who worked closely with Venkatesh in several films, said the composer’s legendary music in films such as ‘Johnny Walker’, ‘Paithrukam’, ‘Sopanam’, and ‘Highway’ would never fade from memory.
Popular playback singer M G Sreekumar, who sang many of Venkatesh’s compositions, recalled their long association with deep emotion.
He said it was a blessing of his lifetime to have sung so many of the composer’s songs, adding that Venkatesh’s music would be sung by Keralites till the end of time. PTI TGB KH
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