Music director Kaithapram Viswanathan dies at 58

Well-known music composer Kaithapram Viswanathan Namboothiri, known for his unique music scores in a handful of Malayalam movies, died at a hospital here on Wednesday, family sources said. He was 58 and was battling cancer for some time, they said. The award-winning composer, who carved out his own space among the top rated composers in tinsel world through a limited number of movies, was the younger brother of renowned lyricist-musician Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri.

Born in a family of musicians in Kaithapram hamlet of northern Kannur district in 1963, Viswanathan attained the ‘ganabhooshanam’ title from the Swathi Thirunal Music College in Thiruvananthapuram.

He worked as a music teacher in a local school and later started his own institution for learning music before stepping into the world of cinema.

Viswanathan composed music for over 20 movies including “Kannaki”, “Thilakkam” and “Daivanamathil”. The background scores for “Kannaki” won him the Kerala state film award in 2001. He is survived by wife Gauri and three children.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and leader of opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan condoled the death. Vijayan in his message said the untimely death of Viswanathan was extremely painful.