Times News NetwokS Sadanandam, a self-taught guitarist whose strings, nylon and electric, ran through four decades of Ilaiyaraaja’s film music, often without his name on the record, died in Chennai on Thursday of age-related health issues. He was 79.His father, R Sudarsanam, was AVM’s household composer until the 1960s and scored for blockbusters such as ‘Parasakthi’ (1952). His uncle, Govardhanam Master, conducted for Ilaiyaraaja.Sadanandam’s introduction to the guitar came by chance. A musician once brought one to his brother, a mechanic, for repairs. Sadanandam began plucking its strings, until his brother scolded him. But by then Sadanandam was so fascinated by the instrument that he decided he wanted to learn to play.Sada, as he was known, first played for ‘Yaarukkaaga Azhudhaan’ (1966), a Jayakanthan film starring Nagesh and K R Vijaya. A decade later, he played for ‘Annakili’, Ilaiyaraaja’s debut as a composer, and remained in the maestro’s orchestra for more than five decades. “He was the heart in most of the maestro’s songs,” says composer C Sathya.His guitar helped make the background score of ‘Mouna Raagam’ inseparable from the film. In ‘Thendral vandhu ennai thodum’, musicians heard a guitar that sounded like a veena; in ‘Indha maan’ from ‘Karakattakaran’, he sounded two notes together, giving the melody fuller texture. “Sada Master is the reason why I love the guitar,” says music producer Subhasree Thanikachalam.
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