Come May 29 2011 – in JP Nagar it is celebration of Dhanashoora Karna Ambarish birthday but in RT Nagar it is the birthday celebration of Rajan of Rajan Nagendra duo are still treating the film music lovers from their memorable songs in Kannada cinema.
It is on this 29th Rajan is reaching 60 years of successful film music direction. When he was 16 years he started singing before learning violin from maestro T Chowdaiah in Mysore. T Chodwaiah is the grandfather of Ambarish. Later Rajan learnt flute, guitar piano and every early he thought of directing the music as he knew singing and values of lyrics. It was in 1952 Rajan directed music for ‘Sowbhagyalakshmi’. Later with Nagendra it was ‘Bhagya’ of film music lovers as they got many melodies that lingers in the mind even today.
Look at the top films of the duo - Kanyadhana, Muthaidhe Bhagya, Mantralaya Mahatme, Veera Sankalpa, Kittu Puttu, Devara Duddu, Parasangadha Gendethimma, Hombisilu, Eradu Kanasu, Naa Ninna Mareyalaare, Bayaludhari, Gandhada Gudi, Chalisuva Modagalu and various other films made the duo unforgettable in Kannada film music.
Rajan-Nagendra duo is the first one to receive the music director award in Andhra Pradesh for the film ‘Panthulamma’ in 1976. After Nagendra died in the year 2000 Rajan slowed down his work but remains active with various progressive works.
Rajan at the age of 76 is very vibrant in his thoughts. He has developed ‘Scientific Playback Singing’. An advanced method where in the learners could know where they are going wrong in the pitch of their voice.
With the help of software instrument the buddies, oldies interested in singing are perfected via ‘Scientific Playback singing’ says Rajan.
Rajan has also come out with a notations book for learning music. This is useful even for the blind people who want to learn singing he says.