Veteran music composer Deva passes away

Noted music composer Deva, hugely popular for his unique Gaana style, died in Chennai on Saturday. He was 75 and breathed his last at a private hospital in the city, sources said. Gaana songs, Deva’s gift to Tamil-speaking people, may be described as a form of music that brought the subaltern world into the mainstream, reflecting its likes and dislikes, as well as the rough and tumble of youth culture.

In his nearly four-decade career, Deva composed music for more than 400 films, including runaway hits such as Rajinikanth-starrers Annamalai (1992) and Baashha (1995), both directed by Suresh Krissna, besides Kamal Haasan’s Pammal K. Sambandam (2002) and Panchathanthiram, which was also released in the same year. A devout man, Deva was known for his stentorian voice and had sung a variety of songs himself.

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay pays tribute to Deva

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay paid heartfelt tributes to late music composer Deva, expressing deep shock and sorrow over his demise. “Upon learning of the passing of Thiru. Deva, the unique music composer of Tamil cinema who captivated the hearts of the common people with his folk songs, the Theni Breeze of Melody, I am filled with profound shock and deep sorrow,” read a statement on the official social media handle of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Office.

Rajinikanth pays homage to late music director

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth paid glowing tributes to late music director Deva, describing him as a man without lies or deceit and “a person of pure gold”. Rajinikanth, who visited the late music director’s residence to pay his respects, later shared a video message in which he paid tribute to the much-loved composer. In the video, Rajinikanth said, “The sudden demise of my dear friend, music director Deva, is both shocking and sorrowful. He has scored music for three of my films — Annamalai, Baashha and Arunachalam. All three films were very big successes.”

Kamal Haasan mourns Deva’s demise

Kamal Haasan, who worked with Deva in several films, expressed shock over the composer’s demise in a post on X. “The news of my dear brother Deva’s passing is shocking. He was a vibrant soul, full of enthusiasm and zeal, with a penchant for light-hearted humor and hearty laughter. Memories of the joyful times we shared working together on films like Avvai Shanmugi, Pammal K. Sambandam, and Panchatanthiram come flooding back. My heartfelt tribute to him. My deepest condolences and words of comfort to his family (sic),” he wrote.