M.G. Radhakrishnan

M.G. Radhakrishnan, born July 29, 1940, in Haripad, Kerala, was basically a wizard when it came to music. If you’ve ever fallen into the world of Malayalam cinema, there’s no way you haven’t tripped over his work at least once. The guy’s portfolio is stacked—Anandabhadram, Manichitrathazhu, Devasuram—absolute classics. His compositions just have this way of sneaking into your bones, you know? It’s not just about catchy tunes; there’s a whole vibe, an atmosphere he builds, sometimes spooky, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes just downright magical. He came up when Malayalam film music was going through a major glow up—think late ’80s, early ’90s. Radhakrishnan wasn’t just following trends, he was pretty much setting them. Folk, Carnatic, straight-up cinematic drama—he mixed it all up, and somehow it just worked. Manichitrathazhu? That soundtrack alone could haunt you for weeks (in a good way). And Anandabhadram, wow, the fusion he whipped up there... wild. He wasn’t just a composer, he was like a storyteller who swapped words for notes. Sadly, he passed away on July 2, 2010, in Thiruvananthapuram. The industry felt that one, big time. Even now, years later, his music just refuses to fade. It’s the kind of legacy you can’t fake or force; you just know genius when you hear it.