R. Muththusami

Born on January 5, 1926 Muttusamy Master, as he was fondly known, composed music for more than 225 Sinhala and Tamil films in Sri Lanka. Ramaya Muttusamy hailed from the village of Nagarkovil in South India and was the only son of versatile Malayalee musician Ramaya Baghwather. Little Muttusamy who had practised on a baby violin enjoyed the rare privilege of mastering the violin at the tender age of ten.

Then R. Narayana lyer, the music director of Kadawuna Poronduwa gave the opportunity for Muttusamy to join his orchestra as the Assistant Director having recognised his talents as a violinist. Later the South Indian producer of the film had encouraged Muttusamy to visit Ceylon where his career as a music director was firmly established.

On October 20 1952 Muttusamy Master joined the state-owned Radio Ceylon's Tamil Orchestra and in 1953 he joined producer Nayagam to be in charge of his newly built Sundera Murugan Studio (Now SPM Studio) in Kandana. During this period business tycoon-cum-film producer K. Gunaratnam sought his services for the movies he produced.

In 1953 Muttusamy made his debut as a film music director with the Sinhala film Prema Tharangaya.

He received an award for the Best Music Director for the film from the South Indian Journalists' Association. This paved him the way to compose sweet stuff for hundreds of films like Puduma Leyli, Ahankara Sthree, Mathalan, Sandeshaya, Sithaka Mahima, Nalangana etc.

Among the hundreds of popular hits for which he composed music were Walpola's Honda Hondama Weya Lowa, Lankaren Malak Pipee, Jothipala's Puruthugeesikaraya, Haroon Lantra's Mage Namalee, Milton Perera's Winodawenna, Sujatha's Aadare Mandire are a few hits that comes to our mind instantly. Several South Indian and local singers have sung under Muttusamy's baton. Dharmadasa, Lata, Jothipala, Angeline, Mohideen Baig, Sujatha, GSB, Narada Dissasekera were some notable local singers while Pundit Amaradeva had also read his violin under Muttusamy Masters' direction.

In recognition of his contribution to the Sinhala cinema and music scene, the then Prime Minister, Sir John Kotelawela awarded him an honourary Ceylon citizenship in June 1956. He re-joined the Radio Ceylon in 1958 and served there till January 1981. On October 7, 1961 he married B.D.E. Neeliya Perera, who hailed from a well known Sinhalese family in Kandy and had four children, Mohanraj and three daughters, Chitrangi, Prasanna Vadhani and Keerthika. His only son Mohanraj of 'Apsaras' fame is today a talented musician like his father.

Apart from being a Carnatic music teacher, Muttusamy Master was also a singer too who rendered his voice in several Sinhala films.

Some of them like Madura Yame, Giluna Soka Gange, Mage Desama Piyawee Unne are popular even today. In commemoration of 10th death anniversary ceremony was held June 1998 at the Elphinstone Theatre where first of his songs were sung under his son Mohanraj's music direction. The master tunesmith who rendered yeoman services to the silver screen passed away peacefully on June 27, 1988 at the Sulaiman's Hospital.

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