{
  "id": 15187555,
  "title": "‘Baasha’ composer Deva, king of Tamil cinema’s ‘gana’ sound, dies at 75",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/baasha-composer-deva-king-of-tamil-cinemas-gana-sound-dies-at-75",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-17T11:35:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2026/10/17/baasha-composer-deva-king-of-tamil-cinemas-gana-sound-dies-at-75/239506"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indian music composer Deva, renowned for his distinctive 'gana' style, passed away in a private hospital in Chennai at the age of 75, according to Press Trust of India (PTI). 'Gana' songs, Deva's contribution to Tamil-speaking people, can be viewed as a genre that brought the everyday lives of youth into the mainstream, capturing their preferences and hardships. Throughout a prolific four-decade career, Deva composed for more than 400 films, with notable hits such as Suresh Krishnas's Rajinikanth-starrers Annamalai (1992) and Baasha (1995), alongside Kamal Haasan's Pammal K Sambandam (2002) and Panchathanthiram, all released in the same year. Known for his powerful voice, Deva often sang many of the songs himself. Apart from his chart-topping compositions, Deva's memorable background scores, including the pulsating 'Baasha' from the Rajinikanth-led blockbuster, still resonate with audiences today. His distinctive white pyjama-kurta and white sandals, inspired by Rajinikanth's footwear choice, became his trademark look. Deva's son, Srikanth Deva, is also a celebrated music director in the industry. The film fraternity, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, and various political leaders mourned Deva's demise.",
  "summary": "CHENNAI, Oct 17 — Indian music composer Deva, hugely popular for his unique ‘gana’ style, died here to...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Deva, Tamil music maestro who held Malaysia close, dies at 75",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/deva-tamil-music-maestro-who-held-malaysia-close-dies-at-75",
        "published": "2026-10-17T07:11:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Legendary Tamil music composer Deva, the man behind iconic Rajinikanth themes, dies at 75",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/legendary-tamil-music-composer-deva-the-man-behind-iconic-rajinikanth",
        "published": "2026-10-17T07:13:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Music composer Deva, who created Rajinikanth’s intro music, dies at 75",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/music-composer-deva-who-created-rajinikanths-intro-music-dies-at-75",
        "published": "2026-10-17T07:34:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "Tamil Nadu Governor Arlekar, CM Vijay express condolences over passing of composer Deva",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/tamil-nadu-governor-arlekar-cm-vijay-express-condolences-over-passing",
        "published": "2026-10-17T09:56:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}