Veteran music director MK Arjunan, who gave AR Rahman his break, dies at 87

MK Arjunan was suffering from age-related ailments. His last rites would be held at Kochi later in the day.

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Kochi: Veteran music director MK Arjunan, who gave music maestro AR Rahman the opportunity to debut on the keyboard, died at his home early on Monday, said family sources. He was 87.

Arjunan is best known for recording the voice of singer KJ Yesudas for the first time. In 2017, Rahman flew down from the US to attend his birthday programme. More than that he is often remembered for his humility and low profile nature as he held to his convictions, both in life and music.

The veteran music director was suffering from age-related ailments.

Starting his music career in the film "Karuthapowrnami" as a composer in 1968, he scored music for over 200 films for over 500 songs besides composing for drama.

He collaborated in almost 50 films with the leading lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi, one of the most prolific composer-lyricist partnership in the Malayalam film industry.

The paradox was that it was only in 2017 that this great musician won his only Kerala State Film Award for the best music director in the film "Bhayanakam".

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the passing away of the great musician is a huge loss not just to the music industry but to the society as well.

The last rites would be held at Kochi later in the day.