Susarla Dakshinamurthi


Susarla Dakshinamurthi Jr. was an Indian film music director, playback singer, record producer, Carnatic musician, multi-instrumentalist, and an eminent violinist known for his works in South Indian film industry, Hindi cinema, Sri Lankan cinema, and Hollywood.
Dakshinamurthi is the grandson of Sr. Susarla Dakshinamurthi who belongs to the student clan of saint Tyagaraja. He is known for his compositions in works such as Narada Naradi , Laila Majnu , Paramanandayya Shishyula Katha , Samsaram , Shri Lakshmamma Katha , Sarvadhikari ,
Yaar Paiyan, Santhanam , Jungle Moon Men,, Ilavelpu , Veera Kankanam , Annapurna , Krishna Leelalu , Narthanasala, which won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film, Shrimad Virata Parvam , Shrimad Virat Veerabrahmendra Swami Charitra.

Biography

Early life

He was born on 11 November 1921 in Pedakallepalli, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India to Susarla Krishnabrahma Sastry, who was a musician and teacher and Smt Annapurnamma. He graduated with an arts degree in classical music, and became a professional violinist at the age of nine. He subsequently worked as Harmonium player for the label His Master's Voice in 1938. He then worked for All India Radio as A-grade artist in the late 1930s, and became the Director for South Indian region. He attended Andhra University.

Film career

He then moved to cinema and conducted music alongside C. R. Subburaman. He made Lata Mangeshkar sing the ever popular song "Nidurapora Thammuda", in his movie Santhanam. Samsaram movie is a musical hit film with ever popular song Samsaram Samsaram by Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao and A. M. Rajah in Telugu and Tamil languages respectively. He then ventured into Hollywood, and became a re-recordist, and conductor for works such as Jungle Moon Men, and several others by columbia pictures.
Dakshinamurthy has produced hits tracks such as Challani Raja O Chandamama written by Raghunath Panigrahi. He sang Challani Punnami Vennelalone casting Relangi Venkataramaiah in the film. His score for Narthanasala songs particularly Evari Kosam Ee Mandhahasam, Naravara Kuruvara,Janani Siva Kaamini, Salalitha Raga Sudharasa Saaram and Sakhiya Vivarinchave are forever memorable. Later he worked on musical hits such as Srimad Virata Parvam and Shrimad Potuluri Veerabrahmendra Charitra. He then ventured into film production and has produced Mohini Rukmangada and Rama Sundari under Anuradha Movies.

Later life and death

Murthi developed Diabetic retinopathy and lost vision in one eye in 1972 and the other in 1987. Murthi died at his residence in Chennai on 9 Feb 2012. He expressed difficulty in breathing when an ambulance was called in. That was only 5 minutes before his death when he said that he did not want to be taken to the hospital. Just as he had wanted he died at 9.30pm when the ambulance reached at 9.35pm.

Selected filmography