S.P. Venkatesh: the composer who gave Malayalam cinema some of its enduring melodies

S.P. Venkatesh, who died in Chennai on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) aged 70, was a music composer who reserved his best for Malayalam cinema, though he had also worked in Tamil, Kannada and Bengali. Several songs he composed for Malayalam movies in the 1980s and 90s, when melody still ruled in film music, continue to be popular.

He had to his credit many hits, such as Valkkannezhuthiya makara nivalil, Kilukil pamparam (Kilukkam), Manikyakkuyile (Thudarkkatha), Shanthamee rathriyil (Johnnie Walker), Pathiraakkili (Kizhakkan Pathrose), Thamrakkannurangenam (Valsalyam), Kanaka nilave (Kauravar), Kunjikkiliye koodevide (Indrajalam), Manum madhumariyum (Puthiya Karukkal),Onnuriyadan (Soubhagyam), Thalirvettilayundo (Dhruvam), Nilave mayumo (Minnaram), Palnilavinum (Kabooliwala), Ezhimala poonchola (Sphadikam) and Punchavayalu koyyan (Nair Saab).

The first Malayalam film he tuned songs for was Rajavinte Makan (1986), which turned Mohanlal into superstar. Thampi Kannanthanam’s film went on to become a huge box-office hit. As was the song, Vinnile gandharava veenakal, rendered by Unni Menon.

Excelled as background score composer

Venkatesh went on to build on that bright start, composing one popular song after another. Among his finest works was Paithrukam, for which he won the 1993 Kerala State Film Award for the best music director. Venkatesh also excelled as a composer of background score in films.

He was one of those music directors who came to Malayalam cinema with little or no knowledge of the language, but contributed greatly with their melodies, like Vidyasagar, Ravi Bombay and Salil Choudhury. And like them, Venkatesh proved that melody knew no language, though it is doubtful whether he received the recognition he deserved.