Shankar Ganesh

Biography

Shankar Ganesh was an Indian music composer, singer, actor, and director associated primarily with Tamil cinema. He was one half of the celebrated Shankar–Ganesh music-composing duo, which worked extensively in Tamil and other South Indian film industries.

Early Life and Musical Career

Shankar Ganesh began his career as an assistant to the renowned composer duo M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy. He later joined forces with Ganesh, and the two established themselves as the Shankar–Ganesh duo. Their first released film was Magaraasi (1967), after which they went on to compose music for numerous films.

The duo worked across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema, creating music for films over several decades. Their filmography includes titles such as Pattikatu Raja (1975), Chakravyuha (1983), Nandri (1984), Anand (1986), Veera Prathap (1987) and Valiba Vilayattu (1990).

Work in Films

Apart from composing music, Shankar Ganesh also worked as an actor and director. His acting credits include Pookkalai Parikkatheergal (1986) and Nalla Kaalam Porandaachu (1990), while he directed the film Sontham-16 (1989).

He became particularly recognized for his melodic compositions and his ability to work across different genres of Tamil commercial cinema. His music continued to be associated with films throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

Personal Life and Accident

In 1986, Ganesh was seriously injured when a cassette recorder sent to him as an unsolicited package exploded when he attempted to play it. The blast caused severe injuries to his hands and eyes. He subsequently underwent treatment and surgery, although the injuries affected his eyesight and ability to work.

Despite this setback, he continued his musical career and remained active in the industry for many years.