Gangaraju (born June 23, 1951), professionally known as Hamsalekha, is an Indian film composer and songwriter who works in South Indian cinema, predominantly in the Kannada film industry since the late 1980s. He is also a screenplay writer, dialogue writer, instrumentalist and conductor, having composed and written over 500 albums.[2]
Hamsalekha was born as Gangaraju in 1951, to K. H. Govindaraju and Rajamma in Tulasikatte, near Akkipete in Bangalore.[1] After his studies, he was employed in his father's printing press and subsequently joined his brother Balakrishna's orchestra group.[6] Lavani Neelakantappa his teacher modified his name as "Hamsalekha".[7] He was introduced into feature films by director M. N. Prasad, who provided an opportunity to write a song for the film Triveni (1973).[8] The song "Neena Bhagavantha" was his first release picturised on actor Udaykumar. His debut film as a musician was the 1981 unreleased film Rahuchandra. Officially, his cinema career started as a dialogue and lyric writer for the film Naanu Nanna Hendthi (1985). [citation needed]Later his popularity peaked only after his association with actor-director Ravichandran. Premaloka, released in 1987.[9]
Personal life
Hamsalekha is married to Latha Hamsalekha who was a playback singer in the 1990s. The couple have a son named Alankar and two daughters named Tejaswini and Nandini. Alankar is associated with films as an actor and musician. Few of his released and unreleased movies are Sugghi, Tapori and Roja.[citation needed] Tejaswini is associated with film direction, acting and directing plays, she has done her master's in theater from Bangalore University and directed many plays in association with her father Hamsalekha. Nandini began her playback singing career with the film Sixer (2006).[10]
Notable works
After working on Premaloka, Hamsalekha became one of the most prolific music directors in Kannada film, with many hits. He made occasional use of many genres of music, including Western, pop, rock, hip hop, Indian classical,[citation needed] folk, ghazals, Sufi, and item songs. [citation needed]"Chandakinta Chanda", a ghazal he composed for the film Sparsha, was a major hit. He has created songs ranging from the philosophical ("Le Le Marula" in Shaapa, a film whose story he wrote himself) to the naughty ("Kaayi Kaayi Nuggekaayi Mahimege" in Halli Maestru), the patriotic ("Huttidhare Kannada Nadalli Hutta Bekku" in Rajkumar's Aakasmika, a song which has become an unofficial anthem of Karnataka) [citation needed]and love songs ("Ele Hombisile..." in Halunda Tavaru). He composed the background score for one movie using a single instrument and made the music for Kona Eedaite with no instruments at all. His music in the film Hagalu Vesha had a rustic and folk feel without the use of synthetic sounds. Shanthi, a film by Baraguru Ramachandrappa with music by Hamsalekha, was mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records as the film with only one character.[11] He made his an onscreen appearance in Mukhaputa.[12] His music in the 2010 movie Naanu Nanna Kanasu was appreciated by critics as well as audiences.[citation needed] He also composed for the National Award-winning movie Puttakkana Highway in 2011.[13]
Hamsalekha laid the foundation stone for Desi Music University on the day of Kannada Rajyotsava on 1 November 2010. [citation needed]The university will be built with ₹ 1.20 billion on 50 acres (200,000 m2) of land in Mudhigere village near Channapatna in Karnataka.[citation needed] The Dravidian University of Andhra Pradesh has given recognition to this Hamsalekha College of Performing Arts.[15]
Awards
Hamsalekha has received many awards over the past three decades.
