Surrounded by framed handwritten lyrics by renowned Malayalam lyricists, it is easy to talk music in composer M Jayachandran’s aesthetically designed office at his home in Thiruvananthapuram. With nine Kerala State Film awards for the best music director and one for the best singer (male) in his 28-year journey in Malayalam cinema, Jayachandran is certainly on song. A trained Carnatic singer and performer, Jayachandran’s passion for music and his songs have been a gamechanger in Malayalam film music.
Currently working on the score of Otta, Resul Pookutty’s maiden directorial film, Jayachandran’s zest for music is as fresh as it was 28 years ago when the engineer-turned-musician made his debut as a composer in Chanda (1995).
Says Jayachandran, “I have composed for over 140 films in 28 years. That has been my biggest award. An award is a reminder to be more dedicated to my work.”
