Alleppey Ranganath

Alleppey Ranganath (9 March 1949 – 16 January 2022) was an Indian composer, lyricist, film director and screenwriter.

Early life Ranganath was born on 9 March 1949 in Alappuzha as the eldest son of Vezhapra Kunjukunju Bhagavathar and Gana Bhushanam M. G. Devammal, both musicians. He wrote and composed music for a play by the Kanjirapally People's Arts Club at the age of 19. Ranganath learned his first lessons in music from his father. As his father believed that an artist must master all forms, Ranganath learned classical music and Bharatanatyam as well. Till the age of 14 he lived at Vellakkinar near Alappuzha (then Alleppey). He attached the place name to his name thus became Alleppey Ranganath.

Career In 1968, Ranganath moved to his uncle's house at Ponkunnam to learn for the Malayalam Vidwan title. It was there he first introduced to dramas. His two songs in the play Kanaljaalam for People's Arts Club, Kanjirappally, were well received. When Alappuzha Redstar Theatres was launched under the stewardship of Vayalar Vinayachandran at the behest of CPI, Ranganath became a proper drama artist. He wrote songs and the script, composed music and even directed the play Darshanam that got him noticed. After Kottayam National Theatres reproduced the play two years later, it became a super hit and Ranganath's career was launched. He wrote 42 plays for various troupes notably Sahadarmini, Kudumbakshethram, Amrithasaagaram, Ponnushasinte Varavum Kathu and Ayalathe Amma. Later he developed an interest in background score and shifted to Chennai, where he was introduced to films. His first film composition was the song Oshana Oshana for the movie Jesus in 1973. It was P. Jayachandran who suggested His Master's Voice to record Ranganath's first stage song. Jayachandran himself sang those songs. So as a gratitude Ranganath called Jayachandran to sing for his first film song. When Ranganath didn't get other opportunities after his first film, he left Chennai, leaving his film dreams behind, and shifted to Kerala and theatre. During this tenure, he got close to K. J. Yesudas and joined his Tharangini studio as staff music director and script scrutinising officer in 1981. It was his Tharangini songs that resulted in the musician composing the background score for Priyadarshan's Poochakkoru Mookkuthi. He also composed music for Pappan Priyapetta Pappan. It was after listening to Tharangini's Children's Songs Vol. 1, Balachandra Menon called him to compose music for his film Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla. The songs Kaattil Kodumkaattil and Shaleena Soundaryame became superhits. He followed that up with films like Principal Olivil, Madakkayathra, Mamalakalkkappurathu, Captain, Achan Balan Makan Bheeman. Though he has composed music for over 25 films, several of them didn't get a release. Ranganath's Ayyappa songs extended his popularity beyond Malayalam. His Ayyappa songs became a hit in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada as well. He has composed songs for 16 movies and 52 albums in Malayalam. Most of these album songs were recorded in other regional languages also. Earlier he had composed a Jesus Christ suprabhatam song in alphabetical order.

Awards 2012 – Lifetime Achievement Award by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, in connection with the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore. 2022 – Harivarasanam Award

Personal life Ranganath was married to B. Rajasri, a classical dancer and teacher. He was living with his family at Ettumanoor.