RK Sekhar
Biography
R. K. Sekhar was a Malayalam film composer, conductor, and arranger whose work in the 1960s and 1970s laid an important foundation for South Indian film music, even though he remained relatively unsung during his lifetime. Born Rajagopala Kulashekharan in 1933, he is remembered today both for his sensitive, melodic compositions and as the father of A. R. Rahman, whose global success has renewed interest in Sekhar’s legacy.
Sekhar was born on 7 November 1933, with roots in Kizhanoor near Thiruvallur in present‑day Tamil Nadu, into a musical family headed by his father, Rajagopala Bhagavathar, a respected Harikatha exponent. Exposed early to devotional music and classical traditions, he learned harmonium from a paternal uncle, eventually mastering the instrument well enough to accompany Carnatic concerts in the culturally rich milieu of Mylapore, Madras. His talent and versatility led him into stage work with drama troupes, where he honed his skills as an accompanist and began to understand the demands of music for narrative performance.
His entry into cinema came when noted Malayalam composer V. Dakshinamoorthy heard him play in 1959 and took him on as an assistant, opening the door to the Malayalam film industry. Over time, Sekhar became one of the most sought‑after arrangers and conductors, working closely with leading composers such as M. K. Arjunan, G. Devarajan, and Dakshinamoorthy, and contributing to the background scores and song arrangements of more than 100 films. Colleagues noted that he sometimes quietly replaced weaker tunes with his own, focusing on musical quality rather than personal credit, which contributed to his reputation as a self-effacing yet brilliant craftsman.
Sekhar’s career as an independent composer began with the Malayalam film “Pazhassi Raja” (1964), whose philosophical song “Chotta muthal chudala vare” became extremely popular in Kerala and is still remembered as a classic. Although he briefly returned to the safety of arranging and conducting after early composing assignments like “Aisha,” he resumed composing with films such as “Anaathashilpangal,” later working on notable titles including “Thiruvabharanam,” “Pen Pada,” “Kuttichathan,” “Yudhabhoomi,” “Sumangali,” and “Chottanikkara Amma.” Songs like “Chotta muthal chudala vare,” “Thamarapoo nanichu ente” (Taxi Driver), “Neeyente velicham” (Miss Mary), and “Ushasso sandhyayo sundari” (Sumangali) are cited as among his finest and showcase his melodic strength.
Stylistically, Sekhar combined a firm grounding in Carnatic and devotional forms with an openness to new sounds, and he was among the early figures to bring electronic instruments and modern equipment into South Indian film music, importing gear from places like Singapore. He worked extensively with major playback singers such as K. J. Yesudas and S. Janaki, and he is credited with introducing certain voices to Malayalam cinema while nurturing a generation of musicians behind the scenes. Despite composing for around two dozen films and contributing to many more as an arranger, his career was cut short by his death on 30 September 1976, leaving much of his potential unrealized.
On the personal front, R. K. Sekhar married Kareema (born Kashturi), and the couple had four children, including their only son, Dileep, who would later be known to the world as A. R. Rahman. Rahman has often acknowledged that his father’s struggles, work ethic, and experimental spirit profoundly influenced his own approach to music and technology, even though Sekhar passed away when Rahman was still a teenager. Through Rahman, his daughter A. R. Reihana, and grandson G. V. Prakash Kumar, Sekhar’s musical lineage continues in Indian cinema, and his once-overlooked body of work is increasingly recognized as a vital part of Malayalam film music history.
