South India’s legendary music composer MS Viswanathan-MSV to fans and friends-passed away on Tuesday at Chennai. He was 88. Viswanathan, who was addressed as Mellisai Mannar (prince of melodies) had composed music for nearly 2000 films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi. What made him an all time great was the fact that all songs set to music by MSV turned out to be evergreen numbers, whether it be in Tamil or Telugu or Malayalam. He was known s the doyen of South Indian film music.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in a condolence message, described Viswanathan as the King of Melody and a legend in Tamil cinema. The chief minister expressed regret that the all -time great music composer was deprived of a Padma award though she herself has been suggesting his name since 1991.
Viswanathan also holds the rare distinction of working with four chief ministers of South India, MG Ramachandran, NT Rama Rao, M Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa. It was said that M G Ramachandran had doubts about the capability of MSV to compose music for a film in which the former was playing the lead role. But the director of the movie stood his ground and made it clear that there was no question of replacing MSV. The movie maker told MGR that he was free to quit the project if he does not like MSV. later, MGR insisted that only MSV should compose the songs for his films.
His was a rag to rich story. Born in a poor family in Palakkadu in Kerala, MSV became the leading musician of south India through hard work and perseverance. He reportedly sold peanuts in film theatres to earn a livelihood.
Whether it be a devotional song or a romantic number, MSV literally surprised even the modern day musicians with his vast repertoire of bhakti and melody. For almost seven decades MSV ruled the world of south Indian film music like a monarch.