M. G. Radhakrishnan

Not to be confused with M. G. Ramachandran.

M.G. Radhakrishnan എം. ജി. രാധാകൃഷ്ണന്‍
File:M. G. Radhakrishnan.jpg M.G. Radhakrishnan
Background information
Birth name	Malabar Gopalan Nair Radhakrishnan
Born	(1940-07-29)July 29, 1940 Haripad, Kerala, India
Died
Genres	Music Director Carnatic music Composer
Occupation(s)	Music Director
Years active	1978–2010
Website	www.mgradhakrishnan.com

Malabar Gopalan Nair Radhakrishnan (Malayalam: എം. ജി. രാധാകൃഷ്ണന്‍; 29 July 1940 – 2 July 2010) was a senior music director and Carnatic vocalist from Kerala. He is highly regarded as one of the most successful light music and film music composer in Malayalam.

Personal life

M. G. Radhakrishnan was born on 29 July 1940 at Haripad, in Alappuzha district, Kerala as the son of music composer and Harmonist Malabar Gopalan Nair and Harikatha exponent Kamalakshi Amma. He had his college education from the S. D. College, Alappuzha, and took Ganabhooshanam from Swati Tirunal Music Academy. Prominent singer K. J. Yesudas was one of his classmates there. His brother M. G. Sreekumar is a leading playback singer in Malayalam and Tamil cinema and his sister K. Omanakutty is a famous carnatic vocalist and academician. He died on July 2, 2010 in a private hospital due to liver disease.

Career

M. G. Radhakrishnan was a disciple of Sree Vidyadhiraja Hridayanjali, an Indian ascetic, and composed music for the ascetic's lyrics, which was sung by his younger sister Dr. K Omanakutty, a Carnatic vocalist. In his official capacity, Radhakrishnan worked as a staff and become the senior music composer(grade 1) in Akashvani, Trivandrum. In 1962, he joined All India Radio as music composer. He used to conduct a 15-minute light music class through AIR, which made him music lovers' favourite.

He made his debut in cinema as a playback singer through "Unniganapathiye..." from Kallichellamma (1969), which had music composed by K. Raghavan. His famous songs as a vocalist include "Sharike Sharike" from Sharashayya, "Pallanayattin Theerathu" from Ningalenne Communist Aakki etc. Some of his notable concert performances were at N S S Headquarters at Changanassery and at Karrikkakom Chamundeswary Temple at Thiruvananthapuram. He then focussed at composing light music with most of them becoming big hits. Singers Sujatha, G. Venugopal etc. were first introduced through his non-filmy songs.

His debut film as a music director was G. Aravindan's Thampu (1978). The songs were fairly noticed, however the first notable work by M.G. was Thakara (1980). Songs from this film, Mouname Mouname and Kudayolam Bhoomi won him several accolades and fame. The other major works by him include Adwaitham, Devasuram, Manichithrathazhu, Rakkuyilin Rajasadassil and Ananthabhadram, which was his last work.

He has also composed the poems of Kamala Surayya, a famous Indian writer, through the album Surayya Padunnu Radhakrishnan introduced K. S. Chithra, a singer and a student of Omanakutty, to the film and music industry by employing her in the film Attahaasam.

Death

Radhakrishnan died from liver disease on 2 July 2010 at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards

• 2005 – Best Music Director – Ananthabadram
• 2001 – Best Music Director – Achaneyaanenikkishtam

Asianet Film Awards

• 2005 – Best Music Director Award – Anandabhadram
• 2001 – Best Music Director Award – Kaate Vannu Vilichappol

Filmography

#	Film	Film director	Year
1	Thampu	G Aravindan	1978
2	Thiranottam	Ashok Kumar	1978
3	Thakara	Bharathan	1980
4	Aaravam	Bharathan	1980
5	Njan Ekananu	P Chandrasekhar	1982
6	Poochakkoru Mookkuthi	Priyadarshan	1984
7	Parayanumvayya Parayathirikkanumvayya	Priyadarshan	1985
8	Ayalvasi Oru Daridravasi	Priyadarshan	1986
9	Geetham	Sajan	1986
10	Sarvakalashala	Venu Nagavally	1987
11	Jaalakam	Harikumar	1987
12	Nombarathi Poovu	Padmarajan	1987
13	Vellanakalude Nadu	Priyadarshan	1988
14	Advaitham	Priyadarshan	1991
15	Manichithrathazhu	Fazil	1993
16	Devaasuram	I. V. Sasi	1993
17	Ammayane Satyam	Balachandra Menon	1993
18	Kashmeeram	Rajiv Anchal	1994
19	Agnidevan	Venu Nagavally	1995
20	Rakthasakshikal Sindabad	Venu Nagavally	1998
21	Stalin Sivadas	T S Suresh Babu	1999
22	Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu	T. K. Rajeev Kumar	1999
23	Pilots	Rajiv Anchal	2000
24	Narasimham	Shaji Kailas	2000
25	Praja	Joshi	2001
26	Meghasandesham	Rajasenan	2001
27	Nariman	K. Madhu	2001
28	Kattu Vannu Vilichappol	Sasi Paravoor	2001
29	Achaneyanenikkishtam	Suresh Krishna	2002
30	Yanam	Sanjay Nambiar	2004
31	Ananthabhadram	Santhosh Sivan	2005

External links

• M.G. Radhakrishnan at the Internet Movie Database
• Official website of M. G. Radhakrishnan foundation
• M.G Radhakrishnan passes away
• MG Radhakrishnan at MSI
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - K. S. Chithra (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Sreekumaran Thampi (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Fazil (in Malayalam)
• Remembering M. G. Radhakrishnan - Johnson (in Malayalam)