Anirudh Ravichander

"Why This Kolaveri Di" leaked early, spread rapidly online and became a viral hit well beyond India, all from Anirudh Ravichander's first film as composer, 3 (2012). The film was directed by his cousin Aishwarya Rajinikanth, whose short films he had scored before. Often credited simply as Anirudh, the Chennai-born composer and playback singer centres his work on Tamil cinema, with further albums in Telugu and Hindi. Film and the arts run through the family: his father is actor Ravi Raghavendra, his mother is classical dancer Lakshmi Ravichander, and Rajinikanth is his uncle by marriage. He studied at Loyola College, learnt piano through London's Trinity College of Music and took a diploma in sound engineering. Kaththi (2014), with its track "Selfie Pulla", lifted his profile, and Rajinikanth's Petta (2019) lifted it again. Jawan brought him into Hindi cinema in 2023. Away from film scores, he signed with Sony Music in 2016 for his independent albums and concerts, and that same year he featured on the remix of Major Lazer's "Cold Water" with Diplo. He holds two Filmfare Awards South and ten SIIMA Awards. His 2026 releases include Jailer 2, whose Tiger Muthuvel Pandian theme is now on music apps, the Telugu film The Paradise starring Nani, and the Tamil film DC.