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Ramesh Vinayakam

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Ramesh Vinayakam
Birth nameRamesh Vinayakam
Also known asRamesh Vinayagam
Born (1963-07-07) 7 July 1963 (age 61)
GenresFilmi, World music, Carnatic music
Occupation(s)Composer, record producer, instrumentalist, arranger, singer, lyricist
Years active1986–present
Websitehttps://www.rameshvin.com/

Ramesh Vinayakam (born 7 July 1963) is an Indian composer, arranger, singer, songwriter, music producer, story writer and a music researcher.

Early life

Ramesh Vinayakam was born Ramasubramaniam (AKA Ramsubbu) to Tamil parents Vinayakam and Valli.[1] He went to A. M. Jain College and later graduated in commerce from the University of Madras. He learned Carnatic music from Rukmini Ramani and Western classical music from Jacob John, completed his studies at the Trinity College, London with a diploma.[1] Ramesh is very popular for his musical, oratorical talents and has won many competitions in the school and college. He held Secretary-Fine Arts in his alma mater – A M Jain College, Meenambakkam, Chennai (erstwhile Madras). Though initially he was a singer in his younger days, he has taken to composing like fish to water as both his parents are singers/composers, it is in his genes. By the time he completed his college he had already composed many songs for various situations along with his poet-friend Narayanan. He had a brief stint as a manager in his father's friend's firm, and he understood that his real ambition is to become a music composer instead of working in an office, as he used to compose/write pieces of music.[2] He decided to pursue his dream when he got a chance to meet S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, through a friend who introduced him to the legend.[2]

Career

Composing

In 1986, Ramesh Vinayakam's first album Prathidhvani was released.[3] The album was a compilation of devotional songs on 10 deities, all sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam.[4] Three years later, director Moulee offered him a Telugu film, Paila Pacheesu and made him a music director.[3] He worked with Moulee on two more films, Manchi Roju (1991) and Aunty (1995) starring Shobana and Jayasudha, respectively.[2] Subsequently, he would again look for work and approach various producers and directors. Vinayakam recalls that "nothing happened" thereafter and calling it a "long and frustrating period".[2] In 2002, director Vasanth eventually signed him as one of the five composers for his next romantic musical Hey! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke. Ramesh Vinayakam's contribution to the ensemble soundtrack was the song "Thottu Thottu" that was also sung by him.[2] The same year he composed for the film University that was his first full-fledged project in Tamil.[2] The Hindu in its review wrote that the soundtrack album was "very strong on melody" and "definitely worth a listen".[5] Although the film was a box office bomb, Vinayakam has said he was glad that University had happened, since it fetched him his next project Nala Damayanthi (2003),[2] his most notable film till date. Written and produced by Kamal Haasan, it featured Madhavan in the lead. For the film, he further made Haasan sing an English song in the country genre.[6] Vinayakam then composed the score and songs for Radha Mohan's maiden feature film Azhagiya Theeye and Jerry written by Crazy Mohan. He received positive critical response for his work in Azhagiya Theeye in particular.[7][8]

Aside from film, Vinayakam has primarily worked on devotional music. He composed his first devotional song at age 12.[9] Since, he has worked on a number of devotional albums, including Shambo Mahadeva, Krishna Janardhana and Sri Rama Dootam apart from Prathidhvani.[4][10] In 2011, he composed the theme song for "Nadha Vaibhavam", a grand musical event of Sri Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living.[11][12] Vinayakam has also composed many jingles and numerous title songs for television,[2] including all of Crazy Mohan's television series.[3]

His upcoming projects include the English remake of A Wednesday, titled A Common Man directed by Sri Lankan filmmaker Chandran Rutnam and starring Ben Kingsley,[13] as well as S. P. Charan's next production.[9]

Playback singing

Ramesh Vinayakam is a notable singer, too. While he has sung songs in all his Tamil films, he has also sung playback for other composers. Under Harris Jayaraj's direction, he had performed the song "Yaaridamum" from the film Thotti Jaya (2005). He has lent his voice for songs from the films Bhaiyaa, the dubbed Telugu version of the film Malaikottai, and the low budget flick Kadhal Valarthen, which had music by singer Srinivas. In 2010, he sang the number "Sada Siva" from the Telugu film Khaleja for composer Mani Sharma. Although the film did not fare well, the song became popular and Vinayakam along with N. C. Karunya, who co-sang the song, went on to win several accolades, including the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer – Telugu.[14] In 2012, he sang the song "Stop The Pattu" from Moondru Per Moondru Kaadhal for composer Yuvan Shankar Raja.[15]

Gamaka box

Ramesh Vinayakam has been working for several years on a so-called "Gamaka box" or Gamaka Box Notation System (GBNS), a way to visually represent and notate the gamaka, which is a type of ornamentation in Indian classical music. Notation of gamakams is generally not found in the Indian music system and Vinayakam's attempt was seen as a possible breakthrough and revolution in carnatic music.[9][16] He has obtained patent for the Gamaka box notation.[17]

New ragas

Over the course of his career, he has composed ten distinct ragas, each with its unique melodic structure and emotional expression. Among these ragas are Prathidwani, Madya Mohanam, and Dwi Niroshtra. He is working on creating a raga incorporates microtonal swarasthana, named "Sruti Ranjani".[18] He created a raaga named by him as Beethovanapriya. The raga is based on Für Elise by Beethoven.[19][20]

Discography

As composer

Films
Year Film Language Notes
1989 Paila Pacheesu Telugu
1991 Manchi Roju Telugu
1995 Aunty Telugu
1999 Speed Dancer Telugu
2002 Yai Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke Tamil composed 1 song "Thottu Thottu"
University Tamil
2003 Nala Damayanthi Tamil
2004 Azhagiya Theeye Tamil
2006 Jerry Tamil
2012 Sollakathai Tamil Soundtrack release, film unreleased
2013 A Common Man English
2014 Ramanujan English/Tamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director
Mosakutty Tamil
Television

As playback singer

Year Films Song Composer Notes
2002 Hey! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke Thottu Thottu Sellum Himself
2003 Nala Damayanthi Enna Idhu Himself
2004 Azhagiya Theeye Vizhigalin Aruginil,
Sandhana Poongatre		 Himself
2005 Thotti Jaya Yaaradimum Thondravillai Harris Jayaraj
2006 Jerry Naan Pudicha Muyalukku Himself
2010 Khaleja Sadasiva Mani Sharma also sang the Tamil version; Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer – Telugu
2012 Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal Stop The Paattu Yuvan Shankar Raja
2012 Saattai Jada Jada Jaada D. Imman
2013 Endrendrum Punnagai Ennatha Solla Harris Jayaraj Co-singers: Karthik, Haricharan, Velmurugan
2014 Ramanujan Thuli Thuliyay Himself
2014 Dikkulu Choodaku Ramayya (Telugu) Andari Rathalu M. M. Keeravani

Devotional albums

  • Prathidhvani (1986)
  • Sambo Mahadeva (1990)
  • Krishna Janardhana (1993)
  • Aha Oho Ayyappa (1996)
  • Vetrivel Sivasakthivel (2002)
  • Moksha Mantra of Lord Shiva (2005)
  • SriRama Dootam (2009)

References

  1. ^ a b "Ramesh Vinayakam". Tekexplore.info. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "In tune with change". The Hindu. 2 July 2003. Archived from the original on 4 November 2003. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Cinema Plus / Columns : My first break". The Hindu. 7 November 2008. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Entertainment Chennai / Music : Devotion and music go hand in hand". The Hindu. 4 March 2005. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Chords & Notes". The Hindu. 9 September 2002. Archived from the original on 19 October 2003. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Kamal Haasan sings in English". Rediff.com. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  7. ^ "Movie Review:Azhagiya Theeye". Sify. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Azhagiya Theeyae ..." The Hindu. 6 August 2004. Archived from the original on 10 August 2004. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  9. ^ a b c Chitra Swaminathan (13 June 2011). "Life & Style / Money & Careers : Music, out of the box". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  10. ^ "Friday Review Chennai / Music : Contemporary touch to devotion". The Hindu. 6 February 2009. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  11. ^ "Ramesh Vinayakam's Nadha Vaibhavam| Lakshman Sruthi – 100% Manual Orchestra |". Lakshman Sruthi. 14 September 2007. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  12. ^ Trichur V. Ramachandran (27 January 2011). "Arts / Music : Grand symphony". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  13. ^ Anupama Subramanian DC (15 August 2012). "Ben Kingsley in Unnaipol... remake". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 23 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  14. ^ Sarah Salvadore (8 August 2011). "I like playing God: Ramesh Vinayakam". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  15. ^ M Suganth (6 August 2012). "Yuvan goes for another composer!". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  16. ^ "Ramesh Vinayakam unlocks the gamaka". The Times of India. 11 June 2011. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  17. ^ "Gamaka box notational system". Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  18. ^ Ramanujam, Srinivasa (4 June 2024). "What if Beethoven composed a Carnatic kriti?". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  19. ^ Ramesh Vinayakam (7 May 2024). "Experience the Enchanting Beethovanapriya by Ramesh Vinayakam and Be Spellbound!". Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  20. ^ Ramesh Vinayakam (9 August 2021). "Abhishek Raghuram – Thiruvarul – Rupakam -Raga Beethovanapriya – Invented by Ramesh Vinayakam". Retrieved 17 July 2024.
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