Karthik Raja

Karthik Raja
Karthik Raja
Background information
Born	29 June 1973 (age 51)
Origin	Tamil Nadu, India
Occupations	Composer; Playback singer;
Years active	1992–present

Karthik Raja (born 29 June 1973) is an Indian composer and playback singer 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.

Television

Year	Name of Television Show	Role	Network
2024	Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Seniors 4	Guest	Zee Tamil

Discography

Film scores/Soundtracks

Year	Title	Language	Other notes
1992	Pandiyan	Tamil	composed one track "Pandiyanin Rajyathil"
1993	Uzhaippali	Tamil	(Background Score only)
1993	Ponnumani	Tamil	(Background Score only) One song "Adiye Vanjikodi"
1993	Dharmaseelan	Tamil	(Background score only)
1993	Sakkarai Devan	Tamil	(Background Score only)
1993	Aathma	Tamil	One track "Ninaikindra Paathaiyil"
1994	Amaidhi Padai	Tamil	(Background Score only)
1994	Raasamagan	Tamil	(Background Score only)
1994	Kanmani	Tamil	Only one song "Netru Vandha Kaatru"
1996	Enakkoru Magan Pirappan	Tamil
1996	Manikkam	Tamil
1996	Alexander	Tamil
1997	Grahan	Hindi	Audio released in 1997 but the film was released in 2001 Winner, Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent
1997	Ullaasam	Tamil
1998	Naam Iruvar Nammaku Iruvar	Tamil
1998	Kadhala Kadhala	Tamil
2000	Hoo Anthiya Uhoo Anthiya	Kannada
2001	Vaanchinathan	Tamil
2001	Ullam Kollai Poguthae	Tamil
2001	Dumm Dumm Dumm	Tamil
2001	Hum Ho Gaye Aapke	Hindi	(Background Score Only)
2002	Mitr, My Friend	English	composed background score for "Give Me Hugs" and played keyboard for "Ehsaas"
2002	16 December	Hindi
2002	Album	Tamil
2002	Three Roses	Tamil
2003	Pudhiya Geethai	Tamil	(Background Score only)
2003	Inii	Tamil	(Short feature film)
2003	Ragasiyamai	Tamil
2004	Singara Chennai	Tamil
2004	Kudaikul Mazhai	Tamil
2005	Rightaa Thappaa	Tamil
2005	Neranja Manasu	Tamil
2006	Mercury Pookkal	Tamil
2006	Naalai	Tamil
2006	Thullura Vayasu	Tamil
2007	Manathodu Mazhaikalam	Tamil
2007	Murugaa	Tamil
2007	Oru Ponnu Oru Paiyan	Tamil	25th Film
2007	Maa Madurai	Tamil
2008	Mukhbiir	Hindi	Two songs
2008	Chakkara Viyugam	Tamil
2009	Achamundu Achamundu	Tamil
2009	Kudiyarasu	Tamil
2009	Anything For You	English
2010	Zamana	Kannada
2010	Rettaisuzhi	Tamil
2012	Tuneega Tuneega	Telugu
2012	Veyilodu Vilayadu	Tamil
2014	Vaaraayo Vennilaave	Tamil
2014	Rajadhi Raja	Malayalam	Two songs
2014	Aranmanai	Tamil	(Background Score only)
2014	Avan Aval	Tamil
2015	Sagaptham	Tamil
2016	Dhilluku Dhuddu	Tamil	(Background Score only)
2017	Pagadi Aattam	Tamil
2018	Padaiveeran	Tamil
2021	Aatkal Thevai	Tamil
2021	Maadathy	Tamil
2021	Chidhambaram Railway Gate	Tamil
2023	Web	Tamil
2023	Mathimaran	Tamil
2024	Pisaasu II	Tamil
2024	Bujji at Anupatti	Tamil

As playback singer

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

Albums

Year	Film	Language	Notes
1997	Meri Jaan Hindustan	Hindi	One track
2000	Split Wide Open – Album	Hindi	One track
2000	Kaathalai Gauravikkum Neram	Tamil
2000	India Unlimited	Hindi
2000	Haule Haule	Hindi	Three tracks

Awards

1998: Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent – Grahan
2001: Cinema Express Award for Best Music Director – Dumm Dumm Dumm

References

^ Krithika Reddy, T (23 October 2009). "Yuvan Unplugged". The Hindu. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
^ Krithika Reddy, T (3 April 2009). "Karthik Raja croons for Yuvan". www.indiaglitz.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
^ Ashok Kumar, S. R (7 November 2008). "On a creative trip". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015.

External links

[hindu1-1] Krithika Reddy, T (23 October 2009). "Yuvan Unplugged". The Hindu. Retrieved 21 January 2010.

[glitz-2] Krithika Reddy, T (3 April 2009). "Karthik Raja croons for Yuvan". www.indiaglitz.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2010.

[hindu2-3] Ashok Kumar, S. R (7 November 2008). "On a creative trip". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2010.

[4] "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015.

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