Stories
Legendary Music Director Deva Passes Away, Leaving Tamil Cinema in Mourning
- •Legendary Tamil playback singer and music director Deva has passed away due to severe health issues
- •He was rushed to a private hospital in Chennai on Saturday, October 17th, but doctors could not revive him
- •Born as Devanesan Chockalingam, he was affectionately known as Thenisai Thendral Deva
- •He gained major recognition with the 1990 film Vaikasi Poranthachu, winning his first state film award
- •He composed historic blockbuster albums for Rajinikanth films including Annamalai, Arunachalam, and Basha
Key Questions Answered
The 75-year-old music composer Deva passed away on Saturday, October 17, 2026, after suffering a sudden health deterioration and chest pain. He was rushed to a private hospital in Chennai at around 8:30 AM without a pulse, and despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his condition.
Deva composed music for over 400 films across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, and is widely credited with introducing the popular 'gana' folk style to mainstream cinema. He earned the title 'Thenisai Thendral' and created iconic scores for Rajinikanth blockbusters including Annamalai, Arunachalam, and Baasha.
Before embarking on his career in the film industry, Deva worked in the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Government of Tamil Nadu. He eventually made his cinematic debut in 1986 with the Tamil film Mattukara Mannaru.
