KOCHI: Composer K J Joy, who was active in the Malayalam film industry from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, passed away at his Chennai home early on Monday. He was 77. He has been bedridden after suffering a stroke some months back.
A native of Nellikkunnu in Thrissur district, Joy debuted through the 1975 Malayalam film ‘Love Letter’. But way before that in 1964, when he was barely 18, Joy joined the orchestra of renowned composer M S Vishwanathan. It was M S Viswanathan, who paved his entry into the film industry.
Joy was known as a ‘techno-musician’ after he introduced the musical keyboard for composition in the film industry. He also extensively used the accordion for his songs. He composed music for nearly 200 films including ‘Ivan Ente Priya Puthran’, ‘Chandana Chola’, ‘Aradhana’, ‘Sneha Yamuna’, ‘Mukkuvane Snehicha Bhootham’, ‘Lisa Madalasa’, ‘Sayujyam’, ‘Itha Oru Theeram’, ‘Anupallavi’, ‘Sarpam’, ‘Shakthi’, ‘Hridayam Padunnu’, ‘Chandrahasam’, Manushya Mrugam’, ‘Karimboocha’ etc.
Some of his hit songs include ‘Akkare Ikkare Ninnalengane Ashatheerum’ for the film (Itha Oru Theeram), ‘Kasthooriman Mizhi’ (Manushya Mrugam), Joy also composed for 12 Hindi films. He also composed several popular Christian devotional songs.
P G Vishwambharan-directed film ‘Dada’, which was released in 1994, was the last film for which he composed the music. The funeral will be held in Chennai on Wednesday.