Music director Deva, who has been composing for Tamil films for the past 30 years, for the first time held a public concert, and it’s going viral. On the occasion of his 72nd birthday on November 20, Deva who is most famous for creating the soundtrack to which Rajinikanth attained true ‘Superstar’ status in the 90s, performed at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.

Fans were in thrall as the concert tapped into their nostalgia — and none other than their idol Rajinikanth himself spoke at the event.

Sharing an anecdote, which speaks volumes about Deva’s musical spell, Rajinikanth recalled how Singapore’s former President Nathan had expressed a desire to have the song ‘Thanjavur mannai eduththu…’ from the film Porkaalam to be sung at his funeral. His wish was indeed honoured and the song was sung during his last rites. The song had been composed by none other than Deva, Rajini said, narrating the story in his inimitable style, amid a standing ovation.

Posters of the concert, which show Rajini and Deva rubbing shoulders with each other, carried the title ‘Deva the Deva’, a nod to the title of the Rajini blockbuster ‘Rajathi Raja’. 

Even as Rajini was on his way in, the auditorium burst into rhapsodic applause as the popular theme music of Baasha pounded through the speakers. The moment was a throwback to cinema witnessing massive crowds of fans in rapture back in the 1990s.

The practice of every letter of Rajinikanth’s name appearing stylishly in the credits accompanied by thunderous background music started with the film Annamalai.  Thereafter, every Rajini film title card has carried this leitmotif.