Ghantasala Sai Srinivas Thaman (born 16 November 1983), known professionally as Thaman S, earlier as S S Thaman,[3] is an Indian music composer, professional drummer, and playback singer who predominantly works in Telugu films and Tamil films along with Kannada films.[4][5] Thaman entered the film industry as a supporting musician with the Telugu film Bhairava Dweepam in 1994,[6] and later became a film music composer. His debut films as music director were Malli Malli (2009) in Telugu and Sindhanai Sei (2009) in Tamil.[7][8] He made his acting debut in Boys (2003).
Thaman S | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Ghantasala Sai Srinivas Thaman Sivakumar [1] |
Born | (1983-11-16) 16 November 1983 (age 39)[2] Madras, Tamil Nadu, India |
Genres | Film score |
Occupation(s) | Music composer |
Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 2003–present |
His breakout film as a music director was Kick (2009).[9] His notable compositions include films such as Eeram (2009), Brindavanam (2010), Mirapakay (2011), Dookudu (2011), Businessman (2012), Naayak (2013), Baadshah (2013), Greeku Veerudu (2013), Race Gurram (2014), Aagadu (2014), Bruce Lee (2015), Sarrainodu (2016), Tholi Prema (2018),Simmba (2018),Ala Vaikuntapuramulo (2020), Krack (2021), Vakeel Saab (2021),Akhanda (2021), and Bheemla Nayak (2022). He won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Ala Vaikuntapuramulo and Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Telugu for Dookudu.[10]
Thaman was born as Ghantasala Sai Srinivas in Madras, Tamil Nadu into a Telugu-speaking family of musicians from Pottepalem in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. He is the grandson of veteran director and producer Ghantasala Balaramayya.[11] His father Ghantasala Siva Kumar was a drummer, who worked for seven hundred films, under the composer, K. Chakravarthy. His mother, Ghantasala Savitri, his sister Yamini Ghantasala, and his aunt B. Vasantha are all playback singers.[12][3] Sai Srinivas adopted the stage name Thaman and suffixed it with an S, the initial of his father's name Sivakumar.[1]
Thaman studied at Don Bosco School in Chennai. He joined a music team consisting of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and G. Anand as a rhythm pads player when he was nine years old,[13] and discontinued studies when he lost his father at the age of 13. He was compelled to make his hobby into a profession to overcome the crisis in his family.[14] He then joined the Raj–Koti team and worked for three years on sixty films. He also worked with M. M. Keeravani for three years on thirty films.[citation needed]
Thaman considered Mani Sharma to be his guru and spent eight years under his tutelage while working on 94 films with him.[15] On the whole he put in fourteen years of rhythm and keyboard programming with the veterans before branching out on his own.[16]
Thaman made his debut as a composer in through the Telugu feature film Malli Malli (2009), although the soundtrack album was released in 2008. Jeevi of Idlebrain credited Thaman's work in the film is credited as "good".[17] The same year his second soundtrack, of the film Sindhanai Sei, marked his debut in the Tamil cinema.[18] He has also made his playback singing debut by recording "Uchimeedhu" song from the soundtrack. A critic rated the album 2 out of 5 and stated, "The music itself is rather dramatic, and sometimes strident. Almost all the songs, barring one seem to be pitched on the 6-kattai scale, which does not afford much variety in terms of listening".[19] A Telugu version of the album was released for the film's dubbed Telugu version. Background score in the Tamil film Eeram (2009) received good reviews from the critics.[20][21] Although he started composing the music of the film in 2007, the soundtrack was released in 2008 and eventually the film was released in 2009.[citation needed]
Although Thaman got his major success with the album of the film Kick (2009), critics gave mixed reviews citing it as "mediocre".[22] In the same year, he has four more soundtrack album releases–three in Telugu and one in Tamil.[23] Composition of "Mahalakshmi" and "Dhakku Dhakku" songs from the film Sankham were praised.[24] In 2010, he has composed score and soundtrack album for nine films, with majority of them being Tamil. Brindavanam was the most successful composition of all. Released on 12 September 2010, the album received positive reviews. 123Telugu gave a review stating "Overall the songs of Brindaavanam are fast, most of them soulful, enjoyable and a touch catering to the lovers of mass numbers. Most Telugu music directors have been going the Rahman way focusing on a fast beat while the song is slow. This album is an exception, where the songs are as fast as they can get. Thaman manages to keep everyone interested with his tunes, in spite of the pressure to cater to dance needs of Jr.NTR."[25]
In May 2017, Thaman made his Hindi debut when he was one of the six composers who featured in the soundtrack album of Rohit Shetty's Golmaal Again, a comedy franchise in Hindi cinema.[26] In 2018, he composed a theme song for Rohit Shetty's successful venture Simmba.[citation needed]
Thaman is working as a Judge for Telugu Indian Idol, which is streaming on Aha.[27]
Thaman is married to playback singer Sri Vardhini and they have a son.[28] He owns a music band named Thakkali.[29][30]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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2003 | Boys | Krishna | Debut | [31] |
2009 | Sindhanai Sei | Himself | Special appearance | |
2010 | Ayyanar | |||
2019 | Mr. Majnu | |||
2021 | Sooryavanshi |
Year | Work | Role | Network |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Super Singer | Judge | Star Maa |
2022 | Telugu Indian Idol | Judge | Aha |
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2021) |
Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Year | Track | Artist | Language | Ref. |
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2021 | "Allu Arjun Rap Song" | Roll Rida, Harika Narayan | Telugu | [37][38] |
Year | Song | Film | Language | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | "Tharai Irangiya" | Eeram | Tamil | |
"O Meri Bhavri" | Veera | |||
2011 | "Vaishali Vaishali" | Mirapakay | Telugu | |
"Malayoor Nattamai" | Mambattiyan | Tamil | ||
"Nagarudhe" | Vandhaan Vendraan | |||
"Unnale Unnale" | Osthe | |||
2012 | "Endhukoo" | Bodyguard | Telugu | |
"Duba Duba" | Nippu | |||
"Sir Osthara" | Businessman | |||
"Melukora Melukora" | Love Failure | |||
2013 | "Edhirthu Nil" | Biriyani | ||
"En Aalu" | Summa Nachunu Irukku | Tamil | ||
"Kajalu Chellivaa" | Balupu | Telugu | ||
"Kathi Lanti Pilla" | Naayak | |||
2014 | "Naari Naari" | Aagadu | ||
"Feel of Aagadu" | ||||
"Uyiril Uyiril" | Vallinam | Tamil | ||
"Down Down Down Dappa" | Race Gurram | Telugu | ||
2015 | "Nuvve Nuvve" | Kick 2 | ||
"Ye Pilla Pilla" | Pandaga Chesko | Telugu | ||
"Chuda Sakagunnave" | ||||
"Le Chalo" | Bruce Lee: The Fighter | |||
"Rock Your Body" | Sankarabharanam | |||
2016 | "Anu Anu" | Srirastu Subhamastu | ||
"Vellipoke" | Thikka | |||
"Aunanaa Kaadanaa" | Jawaan | |||
2017 | "Kiss Me Baby" | Mahanubhavudu | ||
"Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" | Goutham Nanda | |||
2018 | "Ninnila" | Tholi Prema | ||
2019 | "Kopamga Kopamga" | Mr. Majnu | ||
"Yennellako" | Venky Mama | |||
2020 | "Kotthaga Kotthaga" | Miss India | ||
2022 | "Jessica" | Prince |
Awards received by Thaman S | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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