Kailas Menon – Malayalam music composer who shot to fame with his debut song “Jeevamshamayi Thaane” from Theevandi

Kailas Menon is a budding music composer of Malayalam cinema, who shot to fame with his debut song “Jeevamshamayi Thaane” from Theevandi released in 2018. He was earlier associated with ad-world for a decade as a composer for created more than 1000 jingles. Pakarnnattam marked his debut as a background scorer in 2007. Yet he had to wait for more than a decade to become a music composer of Malayalam cinema. Finals, Edakkad Battalion 06, Six hours and Member Ramesan 9aam Ward and a single track for Ittymaani: Made in China are his other works later.      

Kailas Menon started his career as a composer at the age of 16

Kailas Menon hails from Thrissur. He completed visual communication and sound engineering in Chennai. At the age of 16, he composed the music album Snehathode. Yet it was not an easy journey to achieve fame in Malayalam films. Initially he worked as assistant to Malayalam film composer Ouseppachan, followed by sound engineer to Gopi Sundar, before he got his first break as a background scorer for Jayaraj’s Pakarnnattam. He was offered the road movie, Starring Pournami as a composer in year 2011. 80% scenes of the movie were also shot in different states. But later the project was shelved because of budget constraints. He then had to wait long 8 years to bag next project, Theevandi.

Theevandi marked his debut as a composer

“Jeevamshamayi Thaane” song of Theevandi

B. K. Harinarayanan’s lines, Kailas Menon’s music, heart-warming picturization on Tovino Thomas, Samyuktha Menon and supporting cast, and lovely rendition by Shreya Goshal and K. S. Harisankar lifted the “Jeevamshamayi Thaane” song of Theevandi to new levels, and the song went viral over net. Kailas also composed the tracks – “Thaa Thinnam”, “Maanathe Kanalaali” and “Oru Theeppettikkum Venda” for the movie, and bagged Filmfare award for best music composer. After years of struggle, Theevandi gave him a much awaited break he was waiting for a long time. His experience in the world of jingles helped him a lot.

Kailas Menon – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. Kailas Menon was to mark his film debut with Starring Pournami starring Tovino Thomas in the lead. The movie got shelved. Years later he marked his debut with yet another Tovino movie, Theevandi, and also composed songs for Tovino’s Edakkad Battalion 06. Interestingly Samyuktha Menon played the female lead in both these films.

2. Initial tune with a modern flavour he created for “Jeevamshamayi Thaane” was rejected by one of the producers, Shaji Nadesan, though it impressed the rest of the crew. Later he created a new tune, which got a ‘yes’ nod.

3. He tuned songs of Starring Pournami, before the project was left half-way. His friends feel that those compositions are much better than the tunes of Theevandi, and can be used in future.

4. He owns a recording studio, Octaves, in Chennai.

5. His popular song “Jeevamshamayi” based on rare raga Reethi Gowla is now rarely used in films.

6. He was initially confused with the lengthy word, “Jeevamshamayi”. He doubted if it would be accepted by music listeners. But the lyricist who heard the tune over phone convinced him, and it proved to be right too. In fact this song gave a major break to the lyricist’s career and also helped him to bag state film awards for best lyricist.

7. Malayalam playback singers Jyotsna and Asha Menon were his classmates at Thrissur.

8. He has composed jingles for Bheema Jewelers, Seematti textiles, Francis Akukkas, Lulu, Chennai Silks, Pothys, RMKV Silks etc. He has also done jingles for international brands like Samsung, Toshiba etc.

9. His wife advocate Annapurna is a TV presenter too. His father is a scientist and his mother retired as chief engineer from KSEB.