Chakri

Gilla Chakradhar (15 June 1974 – 15 December 2014), known professionally as Chakri, was an Indian composer and singer who worked in Telugu cinema. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer – Telugu for Satyam and the Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Simha (2010).

Early life Chakradhar was born on 15 June 1974 in Kambalapalli, a village of the Mahabubabad district, Telangana.

Career Chakradhar was known for composing music. He worked as a music director in around 85 movies. He started his career as the music director of the 2000 film Bachi, directed by Puri Jagannadh. Chakri is a self-made musician with no background or contacts in the movie industry. He humbly began his journey as a music enthusiast with a goal to publish a music album which he did through Aditya Music. Eventually, he got the opportunity through a friend to meet with Puri Jagannadh who liked his work and promised to work together. The duo later on went on to become a sensation with hits like Itlu Sravani Subramanyam, Idiot, Amma Nanna O Tamil Ammayi. Chakri also grabbed the opportunity to work with veteran director Vamsi who is known for his great taste for music and for his long term collaboration with Ilayaraja. His orchestration, chorus and the nuances in his composition were pleasantly surprising to the Telugu audience. Chakri composed a record number of 18 movies in a single year although he got very few chances to work with established heroes despite producing great music for small budget movies.

He won the best singer award for Satyam in the Tollywood Filmfare Awards and a Nandi Award for Simha. He created many musical hits for Ravi Teja and director Puri Jagannadh, working on nine films with the former and ten films with the latter.

Besides his soulful music, Chakri is known for his benevolent and generous nature as expressed by every technician whom he worked with. A very simple, easy going man, always down to earth and cared for the people around. He encouraged many new comers and his long term collaboration with Singer Kousalya was a sensational hit. It is reflected in his own interviews on TV shows that he wanted to be remembered for the good than anything else. A popular opinion is that his lack of boundaries with friendships and being generous caused him personal losses.

Personal life Chakradhar married Sravani in 2004, shortly after he divorced his first wife. He has a brother and three sisters.

Death Chakradhar died in his sleep on 15 December 2014. His wife Sravani took him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at around 7:45 am. Chakradhar had developed obesity-related comorbidities.

Controversies In 2013, a molestation case was filed against Chakradhar and producer Paruchuri Prasad on the grounds of allegedly harassing a 36-year-old woman during a party. It is later clarified that Chakri was made accountable as the host of the party but was not involved in the harassment himself as clarified in the police complaint lodged by the victim

Discography

Telugu films

Kannada films Year Title Notes 2004 Veera Kannadiga Simultaneously shot with Andhrawala 2005 Giri Reused two songs from Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi2010 Gandedhe 2011 Kanteerava Smuggler 2013 Neenandre Ishta Kano Remake of Ammayilu Abbayilu

Other language films Year Title Language Notes 2004 Shakti Bengali Remake of Satyam2011 Pillaiyar Theru Kadaisi Veedu Tamil Reused one song from Gopi Gopika Godavari