Karthik Raja Explained

Karthik Raja
Birth Date:1973 6, df=y
Origin:Tamil Nadu, India
Years Active:1992–present

Karthik Raja (born 29 June 1973) is an Indian composer based in Chennai. He made his debut as a film composer in the tamil film Pandiyan (1992) and went on to score music for many critically and commercially acclaimed feature films.[1] [2] [3]

Personal life

Karthik Raja is the eldest son of music composer Illayaraja. His brother Yuvan Shankar Raja and sister Bhavatharini, also Tamil film music directors and playback singers, have worked with him on notable projects. He was schooled at St. Bede's School and Boston Matriculation higher secondary school in Chennai. On 8 June 2000, Karthik Raja married Raja Rajeshwari at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Career

Born to a family of musicians, Raja had exposure to various kinds of music from a very early age. He had his formal training in Western classical music from the Trinity School of Music, mainly in piano (affiliated with Jacob John). He also had training in Carnatic music from T. V. Gopalakrishnan and Malayalam composer, V. Dakshinamoorthy.[4]

As a child, Raja often used to accompany his father to the recording studios. At the age of 13, Karthik Raja played the keyboard for the song Kannukkum from the Tamil movie Ninaikka Therinda Maname (1987). Many such outings followed including playing keyboard for the soundtrack of the movie Nayakan. Karthik also arranged many recordings for his father and composed his first song "Pandianin Rajiyathil" for the movie Pandiyan (1992) and "Ninaikindra" for the movie Athma (1993). Around this time, he also composed some background scores for the TV series Bible.

Raja debuted as a fully-fledged composer in 1996 through the Tamil movie Alexander, soon followed by Manikkam. Then came many chart-busters that included Ullaasam, Naam Iruvar Nammaku Iruvar, Kadhala Kadhala and Dumm Dumm Dumm among others. He also debuted in Hindi films with Grahan which won him the R.D. Burman award for the best new talent.

Discography

Film scores/Soundtracks

Year Title LanguageOther notes
1992PandiyanTamilcomposed one track "Pandiyanin Rajyathil"
1993UzhaippaliTamil(Background Score only)
1993PonnumaniTamil(Background Score only) One song "Adiye Vanjikodi"
1993DharmaseelanTamil(Background score only)
1993Sakkarai DevanTamil(Background Score only)
1993AathmaTamilOne track "Ninaikindra Paathaiyil"
1994Amaidhi PadaiTamil(Background Score only)
1994RaasamaganTamil(Background Score only)
1994KanmaniTamilOnly one song "Netru Vandha Kaatru"
1996Enakkoru Magan PirappanTamil
1996ManikkamTamil
1996AlexanderTamil
1997GrahanHindiAudio released in 1997 but the film was released in 2001
Winner, Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent
1997UllaasamTamil
1998Naam Iruvar Nammaku IruvarTamil
1998Kadhala KadhalaTamil
2000Hoo Anthiya Uhoo AnthiyaKannada
2001VaanchinathanTamil
2001Ullam Kollai PoguthaeTamil
2001Dumm Dumm DummTamil
2001Hum Ho Gaye AapkeHindi(Background Score Only)
2001Mitr, My FriendEnglish(Background Score only)
200216 DecemberHindi
2002AlbumTamil
2002Three RosesTamil
2003Pudhiya GeethaiTamil(Background Score only)
2003IniiTamil(Short feature film)
2003RagasiyamaiTamil
2004Singara ChennaiTamil
2004Kudaikul MazhaiTamil
2005Rightaa ThappaaTamil
2005Neranja ManasuTamil
2006Mercury PookkalTamil
2006NaalaiTamil
2006Thullura VayasuTamil
2007Manathodu MazhaikalamTamil
2007MurugaaTamil
2007Oru Ponnu Oru PaiyanTamil25th Film
2007Maa MaduraiTamil
2008MukhbiirHindiTwo songs
2008Chakkara ViyugamTamil
2009Achamundu AchamunduTamil
2009KudiyarasuTamil
2009Anything For YouEnglish
2010ZamanaKannada
2010RettaisuzhiTamil
2012Tuneega TuneegaTelugu
2012Veyilodu VilayaduTamil
2014Vaaraayo VennilaaveTamil
2014Rajadhi RajaMalayalamTwo songs
2014AranmanaiTamil(Background Score only)
2014Avan AvalTamil
2015SagapthamTamil
2016Dhilluku DhudduTamil(Background Score only)
2017Pagadi AattamTamil
2018PadaiveeranTamil
2021Aatkal ThevaiTamil
2021MaadathyTamil
2021Chidhambaram Railway GateTamil
2023WebTamil
2023MathimaranTamil
2024Pisaasu IITamil
2024BujjiTamil

As playback singer

Year Title SongComposerOther notes
1990Anjali "Something Something", "Iravu Nilavu", "Motta Maadi", "Vaanam Namakku", "Anjali Anjali"Ilayaraja
1996Enakkoru Magan Pirappan "Cham Cham" himself
1996Alexander"Koothadichu"himself
1997Devathai "Enge En Kaadhali" Ilayaraja
1997Ullasam"Ullasam", "Vaalibam Vaazhthu"himself
1998Kaathala Kaathala"Saravana Bhava"himself
2001Ullam Kollai Poguthae "Kathavai Naan", "Adada Adada" himself
2003Ragasiyamai"Kadhal Mannile","Oduthe" himself
2004Neranja Manasu "Tharisa Kedakkura"himself
2005Rightaa Thappa"Ilamai Enbathu"himself
2006Mercury Pookkal"Solla Vaarthaigal"himself
2006Thullura Vayasu"Mama Unakku"himself
2006Manathodu Mazhaikalam"Pani Vizhum Kaalam"himself
2007Oru Ponnu Oru Paiyan"Nenjil"himself
2008Chakkara Viyugam"Padaithal Kadhal", "Yei Unnidam"himself
2009Kudiyarasu"Idhu Enna"himself
2010Goa "Yezhezhu Thalamuraikkum" Yuvan Shankar Raja
2012Kazhugu "Aathadi Manasuthan"Yuvan Shankar Raja

Albums

YearFilmLanguageNotes
1997Meri Jaan HindustanHindiOne track
2000Split Wide Open – AlbumHindiOne track
2000Kaathalai Gauravikkum NeramTamil
2000India UnlimitedHindi
2000Haule HauleHindiThree tracks

Awards

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Krithika Reddy. T . Yuvan Unplugged . 23 October 2009 . The Hindu. 21 January 2010.
  2. News: Krithika Reddy. T . Karthik Raja croons for Yuvan . 3 April 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090405094946/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/46026.html. dead. 5 April 2009. www.indiaglitz.com. 21 January 2010.
  3. News: Ashok Kumar. S. R . On a creative trip . 7 November 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121108173754/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/11/07/stories/2008110750070300.htm. dead. 8 November 2012. The Hindu. 21 January 2010.
  4. Web site: YouTube. https://web.archive.org/web/20151207191236/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIaz2IJzr9g . 2015-12-07 . dead. www.youtube.com.