Veteran music director and singer Deva, popularly known as Thenisai Thendral, is no more. He passed away in Chennai today at the age of 75. Deva composed music for more than 400 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam during his career.
Deva, whose original name was Devanesan Chokkalingam, reportedly complained of chest pain and was taken to a private hospital in Chennai. However, he could not be revived, according to reports.
Deva was known for his music in Tamil cinema, particularly during the 1990s. He also composed music for several Telugu films, including Pawan Kalyan’s Tholi Prema, Chiranjeevi’s Master and Nagarjuna’s Auto Driver. The songs from Tholi Prema were particularly popular among Telugu audiences. He also worked on films such as Bhale Pellam and Bagunnara.
In Tamil, Deva composed music for several popular films, including Baashha, Annamalai, Aasai, Kaadhal Kottai and Vaali. He also composed the popular introductory music associated with superstar Rajinikanth.
Deva was known for his catchy songs and gaana music, which became popular in Tamil cinema. He received the Tamil Nadu government’s Kalaimamani award for his contribution to the arts.
