S.P. Venkatesh, who died in Chennai on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) aged 70, was a music composer who reserved his best for Malayalam cinema. He also worked in Tamil, Kannada, and Bengali, but he will be remembered more for the fine work he did in Malayalam.
Several songs that he composed for Malayalam movies in the 1980s and 90s, when melody still reigned in film music, continue to be popular. With hits like Valkannezhuthiya makara nilavil (Paithrukam), Kilukil pambaram (Kilukkam), Manikyakkuyile (Thudarkatha), Shanthamee rathriyil (Johnnie Walker), Pathiraakkili (Kizhakkan Pathrose), Thamarakkannanurangenam (Valsalyam), Pavizhamalli poovurangi (Vazhiyorakazchakal), Kanaka nilave (Kauravar), Kunjikkiliye koodevide (Indrajaalam), Manjum madhumariyum (Puthiya Karukkal), Onnuriyadan (Soubhagyam), Thalirvettilayundo (Dhruvam), Nilave mayumo (Minnaram), Palnilavinum (Kabooliwala), Ezhimala poonchola (Spadikam), and Punchavayalu koyyan (Nair Saab), he established himself as a composer at the time when bigger names like Johnson, Raveendran, and Ouseppachan were very much around.
S.P. Venkatesh was hurt that he was not credited when his song was used in another film: Jayaraj
The first Malayalam film he tuned songs for was Rajavinte Makan (1986), which turned Mohanlal into a superstar. Thampi Kannanthanam’s film was a big hit. As was the song, Vinnile gandharava, rendered by Unni Menon.
