From L to R: Y Gee Mahendra in Charukesi, Music author Deva, Raj Ayyappa and Sriramya Pandian in Charukesi
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16 Jun 2026, 4:23 pm
After dealing with more than 500 movies and 36 years in the movie market, does the weight of a tradition and the mundanity of regular wear down a veteran? “Absolutely not,”states’Thenisai ThendralDeva with a smile.” I’ve done movies in various categories, from action to love and household dramas and funnies. Even after all these years, I had an unsatisfied dream: to make up for movies like Sankarabharanam and Sindhu Bhairavi Make complete usage of my understanding of Carnatic music. Which dream lastly became a reality with Charukesi“
Sankarabharanam had SP Balasubrahmanyam’s vocals for the singing part of the lead character, while Sindhu Bhairavi had KJ Yesudas providing his vocals. Charukesi informs the story of a veteran Carnatic artist who battles with Alzheimer’s illness. With Y Gee Mahendra playing the titular function, the singing parts have the voice of Shankar Mahadevan. “After ending up the recording, he informed me he feels ‘blessed to have actually sung these tunes’. To get such appreciation from a legend like Shankar Mahadevan sir, I think about that on par with any awards or awards they might provide me.”
Deva exposes that the 2 tunes sung by Shankar Mahadevan, for which he got appreciation from the vocalist himself, were made up in 30 minutes each. “In truth, I’ve never ever taken more than half an hour for any tune,” he states. The famous author, who is understood for his incredible speed, thinks the secret active ingredient is love. Deva discusses, “Every task has its own intricacies and needs effort, however the secret component to doing an excellent task is love. Whatever you do, do it with love. Ishta pattu kashta padanumEven if Suresh Krissna calls me once again for a brand-new movie, and even if it is 2 AM, I would take a seat to make up. I’ll begin getting drowsy by 3 AM, however when it pertains to enjoy, who appreciates time?” he beams a smile. He is likewise acutely mindful that, no matter how difficult you work, you can not manage how you are viewed by the audience. “Not that I’m grumbling, however individuals determine me with my Gaana tunes since I presented Gaana to movie theater, however I personally like making melody tunes,” states Deva. The veteran makes sure not to shut his ears to the outdoors world. He is acutely knowledgeable about emerging patterns and skills. In the previous years or two, Deva has actually sung for authors like AR Rahman, Anirudh, GV Prakash Kumar, Sean Roldan, Santhosh Narayanan, and Sam CS. “They are all fantastic individuals to deal with. Whenever I deal with them, I attempt to observe and find out. Dealing with the young authors assist me comprehend brand-new patterns and the ever-evolving taste of the audiences. That is how I keep myself appropriate throughout the years,” states Deva.
Increasing of independent music and whether he want to attempt his hand at it, Deva playfully responds, “I made more than 300 album songs, and only after that did I enter cinema. Since that’s where I came from, I don’t feel the urge to go back to independent music. Let the new kids handle it.” He also adds, “Indie songs are more popular than film songs these days. I wish film music would catch up.” Deva is quick to clarify that this doesn’t mean he doesn’t like the current state of film songs. “Every composer is doing a phenomenal job, and I work with a lot of them. I will never comment on what the current generation should or shouldn’t do. My dad used to say, ‘Who sings like Thyagaraja Bhagavathar anymore?’ and I would say, ‘Nobody sings like SPB anymore,’ but that’s life. I understand the generation gap.” However, regarding the one piece of advice he would like to leave to the current generation of composers, Deva offers an interesting answer. “All I’d tell them, from personal experience, is to urge them to save up their money, get their finances in order. Life has ups and downs, never expect it to stay the same forever, but that’s what makes it interesting.”