MaricelaHamilton at 17:19, 18 January 2026

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{{short description|Indian composer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Karthikeya Murthy
| image = Karthikeyamurthy6.jpg
| caption =
| image_size =
| alias = Karthik Iyer, KM
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|05|16|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Chennai, Tamil Nadu]], India
| origin =
| instrument = [[Piano]], [[Keyboard instrument|keyboard]]
| genre = [[Film score]], [[world music]]
| occupation = Music composer, singer, songwriter, arranger
| years_active = 2014–present
| label = [[Warner Music]], [[Saregama]], [[Think Music]]
| associated_acts =
| website = [https://karthikeyamurthy.com/ karthikeyamurthy.com]
}}

'''Karthikeya Murthy''' is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter and music producer. A [[BAFTA]] Breakthrough India Talent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/bafta-breakthrough-india-1234993313/|title='BAFTA Reveals Breakthrough India Talent, Applications For Next Round Delayed Due to COVID-19'|date=10 June 2021|via=www.variety.com}}</ref> He made his debut in Tamil/Telugu bilingual movie [[Moone Moonu Varthai]]/[[Moodu Mukkallo Cheppalante]] (2015).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/you-shouldnt-delay-an-idea/article6805208.ece|title='You shouldn't delay an idea'|first=Sangeetha Devi|last=Dundoo|newspaper=The Hindu|date=20 January 2015|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> He is known for his score in the movie KD (a) Karuppudurai.

==Personal life==
Karthikeya was trained in Carnatic Classical Music by Chengalpet Ranganathan, DKJ.Sukanya, Premalatha and in Western Classical music by Abdul Sattar. Karthikeya is the grandson of ace [[mridangam]] player [[T.K.Murthy]]. His father T.K.Jayaraman was a music composer at [[All India Radio]], [[Chennai]].
He is the 7th generation musician in his family with his musical roots tracing to Bowdeeshwara Bagavathar (Carnatic Singer), Thanu Bhagavathar (Carnatic Singer), Subramaniya Bhagavathar (Carnatic Singer), Thanu Subramaniya Bhagavathar (Violinist), [[T.K.Murthy|Dr.T.K.Murthy]] ([[mridangam]]) and T.K.Jayaraman (Music Composer). His early ancestors were court musicians.
<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/tunes-from-the-third-generation/article6818545.ece|title=Tunes from the third generation|first=Nikhil|last=Raghavan|newspaper=The Hindu|date=24 January 2015|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/sparrows-monstrous-talent/article6834536.ece|title=Sparrow's monstrous talent|first=Deepa|last=Ganesh|newspaper=The Hindu|date=29 January 2015|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>

==Career==
He began his career in music by forming a band in school known as Pro-teens which was later renamed to Madras Tunes for a band hunt competition in [[Sun TV (India)|Sun TV]]. He then ventured into short films, ad films, documentaries as an independent composer before getting into films. As a part of Madras Tunes he won the band hunt show "Oh La La La" conducted by renowned music director [[A. R. Rahman]] and music label [[Saregama]]. Post winning and recording an album in Rahman's studio, he went on to write music for ace director [[K.Balachander]]'s last stage show "Oru Koodai Paasam" under the stage name "Karthik Iyer". The music of the show was well appreciated with Hindu reviewing the music as "lilting and one of the good production values". He further did more theater works including the one for Dancer [[Dhananjayans]] and Olliyum Oliyum production's INSTINCT. Also he worked on several short films including the critically acclaimed Thuvandha Yuddham, Jagathinai Azhithidivom to name a few.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/nxg/high-school-musical/article3352547.ece|title=High school musical|first=G.|last=Seshasayee|newspaper=The Hindu|date=25 April 2012|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/More-is-expected-from-the-veteran/article16889353.ece|title=More is expected from the veteran|first=Kausalya|last=Santhanam|newspaper=The Hindu|date=30 October 2009|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=- YouTube | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMsBbkUU2pQ> | access-date=2025-07-18 | website=www.youtube.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/features/visitors-2/short-film/apr-12-03/thuvandha-yuddham-18-04-12.html|title=Thuvandha Yuddham - Short Films - Thuvandha Yuddham Short Films - Behindwoods.com|website=www.behindwoods.com}}</ref>

Acclaimed producer/singer/actor [[S. P. B. Charan|S.P.Charan]] met Karthikeya while recording a song for a college project that led him to rope Karthikeya as a composer in his production [[Moone Moonu Varthai]] directed by [[Madhumitha (director)|Madhumita]] - a bilingual (in Telugu [[Moodu Mukkallo Cheppalante]]). At the single launch show of the Moone Moonu Varthai, veteran singer [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]] for the very first time performed a song from the movie with Karthikeya on Piano during which he compared his music-composing prowess to that of Oscar-winning music director [[A. R. Rahman]].<ref>{{Cite web | title=SPB compares rookie musician’s talents to that of A.R. Rahman - KOLLY TALK | url=http://www.kollytalk.com/cinenews/spb-compares-rookie-musicians-talents-r-rahman-207659.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113031948/http://www.kollytalk.com:80/cinenews/spb-compares-rookie-musicians-talents-r-rahman-207659.html | access-date=2025-07-18 | archive-date=2015-01-13}}</ref>

Karthikeya has composed title track & theme music for Vijay Television Tamil mythological serial [[Tamil Kadavul Murugan]] being aired from 2 October 2017 and actor [[Vijay Sethupathi]] starrer [[Namma Ooru Hero]] in [[Sun TV (India)|Sun TV]].

== Discography ==

'''MOVIES'''

{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Language
!Notes
|-
|rowspan="1"|2023 || ''Gowri Shankara'' || Kannada|| Produced by [[N._S._Rajkumar|N S Rajkumar]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2023/jan/17/actorapoorva-to-reunite-with-ravichandran-for-gowri-shankara-2538437.html|title=Actor Apoorva to reunite with Ravichandran for 'Gowri Shankara'|website=newindianexpress.com |date=17 January 2023 }}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="1"|2023 || ''Untitled'' || Hindi|| Remake of a Malayalam Feature film <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://karthikeyamurthy.com/discography/|title=Karthikeya Murthy Discography|website=karthikeyamurthy.com|access-date=18 April 2023|archive-date=18 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418065643/https://karthikeyamurthy.com/discography/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="1"|2023 || ''La Mirada Oculata'' || Spanish|| In collaboration with Ms. Victoria De La Vega<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/hollywood-news/article/from-meeting-phoebe-waller-bridge-to-colin-trevorrow-bafta-breakthrough-india-alumni-share-their-experience-with-the-program-23295367|title=From meeting Phoebe Waller-Bridge to Colin Trevorrow, BAFTA Breakthrough India alumni share their experience with the program|website=mid-day.com|date=July 2023 }}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="1"|2023 || ''Amma's Pride'' || Tamil|| Based on first legal transgender marriage in TN<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2021/jun/30/composer-karthikeya-murthy-to-bankroll-docu-on-cis-trans-couple-25233.html|title=Composer Karthikeya Murthy to bankroll docu on cis-trans couple - Indian Express|website=Cinema Express |date=30 June 2021 }}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="1"|2019 || ''[[K.D. (film)|K.D.]]'' || Tamil||
|-
|rowspan="1"|2017 || ''[[Moodu Mukkallo Cheppalante]]''|| [[Telugu language|Telugu]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/Madhumitha-to-debut-with-Moodu-Mukkallo-Cheppalante/articleshow/44992858.cms|title=Madhumitha to debut with Moodu Mukkallo Cheppalante - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="1"|2015 || ''[[Moone Moonu Varthai]]''|| [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ||
|-

|}

'''TV SERIES'''

{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Language
!Channel
!Notes
|-
|rowspan="1"|2022 || ''Putham Puthu Kaalai - Vidiyaadhaa - Mouname Paarvaiyaai'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || ''[[Amazon Prime]]'' ||
|-
|rowspan="1"|2021 || ''LOL Enga Siri Paapom'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || ''[[Amazon Prime]]'' || ''starring [[Vivek (actor)|Vivek]]''
|-
|rowspan="1"|2019 || ''[[Namma Ooru Hero]]''|| [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || [[Sun TV (India)|Sun TV]] || ''starring [[Vijay Sethupathi]]''
|-
|rowspan="1"|2017 || ''[[Tamil Kadavul Murugan]]''|| [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || [[Star Vijay]] ||
|-

|}

'''THEATRE WORKS'''

{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Language
!Notes
|-
|rowspan="1"|2011 || ''The Instinct''|| [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
|-
|rowspan="1"|2010 || ''Oru Koodai Paasam''|| [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || Directed by K.Balachander
|-
|rowspan="1"|2009 || ''Folk Dance of India'' || Multi || Directed by Dhananjayans
|-

|}

'''NOTABLE SINGLES'''

{| class="wikitable"
!
!Title
!Publisher
!Notes
|-
|rowspan="1"| ||''Yaar Veetilo'' || ''Doopaadoo''|| Feat. Karky (lyrics) and Andrea Jermiah
|-
|rowspan="1"| ||''Jigulu Jigulu'' || ''Star Vijay''
|-
|rowspan="1"| || ''Country Side'' || ''Put Chutney Music'' || Feat. Madras Tunes
|-
|rowspan="1"| || ''Neeye Neeye'' || ''Trend Music'' ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || ''A capella'' || ''Put Chutney Music'' || Feat. Santhosh Narayanan Songs
|-
|rowspan="1"| || ''Roots of Jazz'' || ''Put Chutney Music'' || Feat. Madras Tunes
|-
|rowspan="1"| || ''Naatai'' || ''Put Chutney Music'' || Feat. Madras Tunes
|-
|}

== Awards & Recognitions ==

* 2021 - BAFTA Breakthrough (India) Honoree - [[BAFTA]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bafta.org/supporting-talent/breakthrough/breakthrough-india-2020#karthikeya-murthy--composer|title=Breakthrough India 2020/21 - BAFTA|website=BAFTA|date=29 April 2021}}</ref>
* 2021 - Special Mention Original Score (Sweetness) - FICOCC <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ficocc.com/ficocc-44|title=Ficocc #44}}</ref>
* 2021 - Honorable Mention Original Score (Sweetness) - SFAAF <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scafafest.wixsite.com/sfaaf/winners-37|title=Winners #37}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|7046175}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murthy, Karthikeya}}
[[Category:Alumni of Trinity College of Music]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tamil musicians]]
[[Category:Tamil film score composers]]
[[Category:Tamil singers]]
[[Category:1985 births]]

Karthikeya Murthy - Revision history

MaricelaHamilton at 17:19, 18 January 2026