Ranjith

Singer and composer Ranjith—aka Ranjith K. Govind, or K.G. Ranjith—has a voice that’s long been synonymous with a hero’s entry in south Indian films, whether it’s for Telugu star Prabhas on “My Name Is Billa” or Dhanush in Athu Oru Kana Kaalam on the funky “Ennada Ninaichae”. Ranjith is the acclaimed vocalist behind several hits composed by big names from Ilaiyaraaja to Devi Sri Prasad and Yuvan Shankar Raja, singing in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and more. He even sang in Hindi on the song “Dole Dole” from Telugu flick Pokiri in 2006 and was enlisted for the Tamil remake Pokkiri in 2007, adding gusto to songs such as “Dole Dole Than”. Born in Palakkad and raised in Chennai, Ranjith received vocal training in both Hindustani classical and Carnatic music. In 2001, he won TV singing competition Sapthaswarangal, which made him a household name in Tamil Nadu. In making sense of celebrity, he met composer Mani Sharma, collaborating on the playful “Yeh Penne” from 2002 movie Aasai Aasaiyai. Ranjith’s voice was a perfect fit for the early 2000s pop leanings of composers like Sharma, who would become a regular collaborator. The dance-floor-ready duet “Suppose Unnai” with Vinaya from Tamil film Sukran also became his calling card. Also expanding steadily into Telugu music, it took Ranjith a while to honour his Kerala roots, singing on the 2006 song “Paattonnu Paadan” with Benny Dayal, composed by Deepak Dev. Action heroes and love stories continue to be Ranjith’s draw, from “Vilaiyaadu Mankatha” composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja for the 2011 movie Mankatha to “My Love Is Gone” by Devi Sri Prasad for Arya 2 in 2009.