Music composer Deva died on Saturday following a cardiac arrest. Rajinikanth got emotional as he paid his final respects to the legendary musician at his residence. Chief Minister Vijay visited the family to offer condolences and announced State honours for the funeral, calling the death an irreplaceable loss to cinema.
Noted music composer Deva, the self-made architect of Tamil 'gana' style rhythms and one who gave innumerable, striking hits for top heroes, including Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in a career spanning 400 films, died here on Saturday.
"All of a sudden our father left us, his death was following a cardiac arrest," the renowned musician's son Shrikanth Deva told reporters here.
Rajinikanth pays last respects
'Gana' songs, Deva's gift to the Tamil speaking people, may be described as a kind of music composition, which, in a way brought to mainstream the subaltern world; its likes and dislikes and the rough and tumble of the youth community as well. 'Gana,' in Tamil usage, denotes the rustic, indigenous, working-class origins of the songs, and the harmonising music that accompanies it. The form of music is unique to Chennai.
Rajinikanth appeared visibly emotional as he arrived at the composer's residence to pay his last respects. He was seen stood before Deva's mortal remains and offered his condolences to the family. He also shared a video note to mourn the demise of the composer.
Notably, it was Deva who scored music for the popular Rajinikanth's signature title-card-credit that appears in all his films.
Although, many have composed music for Rajinikanth's films, the title-card score remains Deva's for over three-decades, and it began with the smash hit Annamalai (1992).
CM Vijay offers floral tribute
Meanwhile, CM Vijay and various political leaders expressed profound grief over the demise of Deva. The chief minister announced State honours for the funeral of the musician, also known by his monicker 'Thenisai Thendral.'
CM Vijay said that Deva, who received numerous awards including Kalaimamani, captivated the hearts of the common people with his Gana songs and composed music for over 400 films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages, and has also written and sung many songs himself.
Deva's musical journey and songs will forever endure in the history of film music. His demise is an irreplaceable loss to Tamil cinema. "I convey my deepest condolences and sympathies to the family members grieving the loss of music composer Deva, as well as to his relatives, friends, film industry colleagues, and music lovers," the CM said.
Deva's life and legacy
Devanesan Chokkalingam, born on November 20, 1950, died just weeks before his 76th birthday. He has composed music for over 400 films in South India. His debut came in 1986 with the Tamil film Maattukara Mannaru, and he composed music for numerous superstars throughout his career.