Composer Raghavan cremated Sunday, film fraternity stays away

Kannur, Oct 20 (IANS) Veteran music composer K. Raghavan was cremated Sunday in Tellicherry, 12 km from here, but no one from the Malayalam film fraternity came to pay their last respects to the Padma Shri winner. This is very sad, said his son Muraleedharan.

Also known as Raghavan Master, he died Saturday while undergoing treatment at a hospital here. He was 99 and would have turned 100 Dec 2.

"Not even a phone call came. We are dejected by this sort of response from the industry to my father," said Muraleedharan.

"This sort of treatment to my father should not have happened. And it is unpardonable," he added.

Raghavan was given a state funeral and a large number of politicians came to pay their last respects to him.

Producer Liberty Basheer, who hails from the town, said that no one from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) came.

"No one notable from AMMA and FEFKA have turned up to pay their last respects," Basheer told reporters.

"It's most unfortunate that Raghavan Master has been shunned," he added.

In his long innings, Raghavan composed music for more than 400 Malayalam songs. He is still remembered for his music in the 1954 movie "Neelakuyil".

He started his career with All India Radio in Chennai (then Madras) and was transferred to Kozhikode, Kerala in 1950.

In 2010, he was awarded the Padma Shri. He also won two state film awards. In 1997, he received the J.C. Daniel award for lifetime contribution to the Malayalam film industry.

Reacting to the comments, AMMA president and comedian Innocent said the allegations are unfair.

"I stay quite far and generally do not travel long distance due to my health. Just because we are not there, does not mean that there is any sort of disrespect. We all are certainly saddened by the maestro's death," he said.

"Do not forget that there are occasions when children are unable to attend the funeral of their parents due to various reasons. Does that mean that the children have no love or respect for their parents?" he argued.