# Sean Roldan

Raghavendra Raja Rao, known by his stage name Sean Roldan is an Indian composer, musician, and lyricist who predominantly works in the Tamil film industry. He has worked on Carnatic music, independent music, and film scores for the Tamil film industry. He rose to fame after gaining critical acclaim for his work in Balaji Mohan's Tamil-Malayalam bilingual Vaayai Moodi Pesavum / Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram (2014).

## Early life

Roldan was born as Raghavendra Raja Rao to the mridangam player Srimushnam V. Raja Rao and Padma, the daughter of novelist Sandilyan. He is married to Lalitha Sudha, a playback singer who works in the Indian film industry, primarily for films composed by him. He was drawn into film music by A.R. Rahman's debut album Roja.

## Career
### Film score and soundtracks

Rao began a career in music composing and working on Carnatic tracks before venturing into independent Tamil music with his band Sean Roldan & Friends. Roldan was recommended by film producer C. V. Kumar to Varun Manian, the producer of the bilingual film Vaayai Moodi Pesavum / Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram, who was looking for a composer after the director's original choice, Anirudh Ravichander, had opted out. He subsequently signed the film and chose to continue to credit himself as Sean Roldan for a career in the Tamil film industry. He produced eight tracks for the film, singing two, while including one inspired by the single track "Mayakkura Poo Vaasam" composed for his band. That same year, he composed music for the films Sathuranga Vettai, Mundasupatti, and Aadama Jaichomada. All soundtracks were well-received. 2015 saw him composing the songs for 144.
In 2016, Roldan composed music for the political satire film Joker. The songs were well-received. 2017 saw him composing music for Pa Paandi, the directorial debut of actor Dhanush. Three more films were released that year featuring Roldan's music: Neruppu Da, Katha Nayagan, and Velaiilla Pattadhari 2, the last of which he collaborated with Dhanush, though this time as a lead actor. Roldan's only film composed in 2018 was Kathiruppor Pattiyal. He composed two films in 2019: Mehandi Circus and Raatchasi.
In 2020, Roldan composed one song from Dharala Prabhu, and in 2021, he composed one song from Kasada Thapara. 2021 also saw him composing the legal drama Jai Bhim in his first collaboration with Suriya.
In 2022, Roldan released a music video called Parai. The video is about a Parai artist and his daughter who are subject to torment by casteists. He also co-wrote the song's lyrics.
In 2023, Roldan composed the music for the movies August 16 1947, Good Night, and Lucky Man.

### Playback singing

Roldan has mainly sang songs for his own films but has frequently worked with composers Pradeep Kumar and Santhosh Narayanan. He has also worked with the likes of Anirudh Ravichander, D. Imman, and Yuvan Shankar Raja.

## Musical style

Roldan's music draws heavy inspiration from Tamil composer Ilaiyaraaja. His greater aim is to represent Indian music internationally.

## Discography
### As composer

| Year | Tamil | Other languages | Notes |
| 2014 | Vaayai Moodi Pesavum | Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram (Malayalam) | |
| 2014 | Mundasupatti | | |
| 2014 | Sathuranga Vettai | | |
| 2014 | Aadama Jaichomada | | |
| 2015 | 144 | | |
| 2016 | Joker | | |
| 2017 | Pa Paandi | | |
| 2017 | Katha Nayagan | | |
| 2017 | Neruppu Da | | |
| 2017 | Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 | VIP 2 (Telugu), VIP 2 - Lalkar (Hindi - dubbed) | |
| 2018 | Kaathiruppor Pattiyal | | |
| 2019 | Mehandi Circus | | |
| 2019 | Raatchasi | | |
| 2020 | Dharala Prabhu | | Composed one song "Kadhal Theevey" |
| 2021 | Kasada Thapara | | Composed one song "Nee Podhum Kanna" |
| 2021 | Jai Bhim | | |
| 2022 | Parai | | YouTube album Think Music India |
| 2023 | August 16 1947 | | |
| 2023 | Good Night | | |
| 2023 | Modern Love Chennai | | Web series Episode 1: "Lalagunda Bommaigal" |
| 2023 | Lucky Man | | |
| 2024 | Vadakkupatti Ramasamy | | |
| 2024 | Lover | | |
| 2024 | Raghu Thatha | | |
| 2024 | Lubber Pandhu | | |
| 2024 | Parari | |
| 2025 | Bottle Radha | | |
| TBA | Tourist Family | | |
| TBA | Mannangatti Since 1960 | | |
* The films are listed in order that the music released, regardless of the dates the film released.
* The year next to the titles of the films indicates the release year of the either dubbed or remade version in the named language later than the original version.
* • indicates original language release. Indicates simultaneous makes, if featuring in more languages.

### As singer

| Year | Film | Song | Music | Co-artist(s) |
| 2013 | Onbadhule Guru | "Theera Theera" | K | Anand Aravindakshan, K, Premgi Amaren |
| 2014 | Cuckoo | "Manasula Soora Kaathey" | Santhosh Narayanan | Divya Ramani |
| 2014 | Cuckoo | "Potta Pulla" | Santhosh Narayanan | |
| 2014 | Vaayai Moodi Pesavum | "Shut Up! Vaaya Moodu! Pesadhe!" | Sean Roldan | Balaji Mohan |
| 2014 | Vaayai Moodi Pesavum | "Kadhal Ara Onnu Vizundhuchu" | Sean Roldan | Shakthisree Gopalan |
| 2014 | Mundasupatti | "Ambala Singam" | Sean Roldan | Haricharan |
| 2014 | Mundasupatti | "Rasa Magarasa (Solo Version)" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2014 | Mundasupatti | "Rasa Magarasa (Duet Version)" | Sean Roldan | Rita, Anthony Daasan |
| 2014 | Maine Pyar Kiya (Telugu) | "Ee Prema Manakoddhu" | Pradeep Kumar | |
| 2014 | Sathuranga Vettai | "Yemarum Jename" | Sean Roldan | Pradeep Kumar |
| 2014 | Sathuranga Vettai | "Verichodi Ponathada" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2014 | Jigarthanda | "Hoo Haa" | Santhosh Narayanan | Santhosh Narayanan |
| 2014 | Aadama Jaichomada | "Nalla Kettuka Paadam" | Sean Roldan | A. V. Ramanan |
| 2014 | Aadama Jaichomada | "Odura Nari" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2015 | Naanum Rowdy Dhaan | "Kannana Kanne" | Anirudh Ravichander | |
| 2015 | 144 | "Vinai Theerkum Pillaiyada" | Sean Roldan | Sathyaprakash, Shenbagaraj |
| 2015 | 144 | "Poove Pooviname" | Sean Roldan | Chinmayi |
| 2016 | Irudhi Suttru | "Vaa Machaney" | Santhosh Narayanan | |
| 2016 | Jil Jung Juk | "Red Road-U" | Vishal Chandrasekhar | Santhosh Narayanan, Vishal Chandrashekhar |
| 2016 | Oru Naal Koothu | "Adiyae Azhagae" | Justin Prabhakaran | |
| 2016 | Joker | "Chellamma" | Sean Roldan | K. Perumal, M. Lalitha Sudha |
| 2016 | Joker | "Halla Bol" | Sean Roldan | Kalyani Nair |
| 2016 | Chennai 600028 II: Second Innings | "Idhu Kadhaiya" | Yuvan Shankar Raja | Kharesma Ravichandran |
| 2017 | Rum | "Kadavule Vidai" | Anirudh Ravichander | Pragathi Guruprasad |
| 2017 | Pa Paandi | "Paarthen" (The Youth of Power Paandi) | Sean Roldan | Shweta Mohan |
| 2017 | Pa Paandi | "Veesum Kaathodadhaan" (Power Paandi: The Nomad) | Sean Roldan | Anthony Daasan |
| 2017 | Pa Paandi | "Venpani Malarae" (The Romance of Power Paandi - Male Version) | Sean Roldan | |
| 2017 | Saravanan Irukka Bayamaen | "Yembuttu Irukuthu Aasa" | D. Imman | Kalyani Nair |
| 2017 | Thondan | "Poi Varavaa" | Justin Prabhakaran | |
| 2017 | Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 | "Iraivanai Thandha Iraiviye" (Angel of Raghuvaran) | Sean Roldan | M. M. Manasi |
| 2017 | Katha Nayagan | "Kathanayagan The Hero" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2017 | Neruppu Da | "Aalangiliyae" | Sean Roldan | Shweta Mohan |
| 2017 | Neruppu Da | "Enga Pona" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2018 | Kaathiruppor Pattiyal | "Call Mela Call Pootu" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2018 | Kolamavu Kokila | "Edhuvaraiyo" | Anirudh Ravichander | Gautham Vasudev Menon |
| 2018 | Ratsasan | "Kanamma Kanvizhi" | Ghibran | |
| 2018 | Seemaraja | "Onnavitta Yaarum Yenakilla (Version 1)" | D. Imman | Shreya Ghoshal |
| 2019 | LKG | "Ethanai Kaalam Dhaan" (Remix) | Leon James | |
| 2019 | Monster | Ennai Theadi | Justin Prabhakaran | Pop Shalini |
| 2019 | Mehandi Circus | "Vellatu Kannazhagi" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2019 | Raatchasi | "Kondatam" | Sean Roldan | Bamba Bakya |
| 2019 | Raatchasi | "Sigarame" | Sean Roldan | Nithyashree |
| 2019 | A1 | "Aatha Valikkudu" | Santhosh Narayanan | |
| 2020 | Ponmagal Vandhal | "Pookalin Porvai" | Govind Vasantha | Keerthana Vaidyanathan |
| 2020 | Andhaghaaram | "Izhupari Aattam" | Pradeep Kumar | |
| 2021 | Uppena (Telugu) | "Sandram Lone Neerantha" | Devi Sri Prasad | |
| 2021 | Choo Mandhirakaali | "Dracula Chellakkutti" | Satish Raghunathan | M. M. Manasi |
| 2021 | Kasada Thapara | "Nee Podhum Kanna" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2021 | Jai Bhim | "Indha Polladha" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2022 | Kuthiraivaal | "Parandhu Pogindren" | Pradeep Kumar | Priyanka NK |
| 2022 | My Dear Bootham | "Thangamey" (Version I) | D. Imman | |
| 2023 | August 16 1947 | "Seenikaari" | Sean Roldan | Sathyaprakash Dharmar |
| 2023 | August 16 1947 | "Kottikara Payalae" | Sean Roldan | Meenakshi Ilayaraja |
| 2023 | Good Night | "Naan Gaali" | Sean Roldan | Kalyani Nair |
| 2023 | Good Night | "Naan Gaali Reprise" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2023 | Modern Love Chennai | "Jingrudha Dhanga" (Lalagunda Bommaigal) | Sean Roldan | |
| 2023 | Modern Love Chennai | "Uravu" (Lalagunda Bommaigal) | Sean Roldan | Padmapriya Raghavan |
| 2023 | Lucky Man | "Naanthan Raja" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2024 | Lover | "Thensudare" | Sean Roldan | Shaktishree Gopalam |
| 2024 | Lover | "Ezhutha Kadhaiyo" | Sean Roldan | Mega Agarwal |
| 2024 | Vadakkupatti Ramasamy | "Abarako" | Sean Roldan | Santhanam |
| 2024 | Captain Miller | "Un Oliyile" | G. V. Prakash Kumar |
| 2024 | Inga Naan Thaan Kingu | "Maayoney" | D. Imman | Jonita Gandhi |
| 2024 | Vettaiyan | "Uchathila" | Anirudh Ravichander | |
| 2024 | Aalan | "Yen Anaindhai" | Manoj Krishna | |
| 2025 | Kudumbasthan | "Zero Balance Hero" | Vaisagh | |
| 2025 | Tourist Family | "Mugai Mazhai" | Sean Roldan | Saindavi |

### As lyricist

| Year | Film | Song | Music | Notes |
| 2014 | Jigarthanda | "Hoo Haa" | Santhosh Narayanan | |
| 2014 | Aadama Jaichomada | "Odura Nari" | Sean Roldan |
| 2015 | 144 | "Poove Pooviname" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2016 | Joker | "Halla Bol" | Sean Roldan | Co-lyricist with Yugabharathi |
| 2017 | Katha Nayagan | "Kathanayagan the Hero" | Sean Roldan |
| 2017 | Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 | "Dooram Nillu" | Sean Roldan |
| 2019 | Raatchasi | "Sigarame" | Sean Roldan | |
| 2019 | A1 | "Aatha Valikkudu" | Santhosh Narayanan | |
| 2024 | Vadakkupatti Ramasamy | "Uyirin Velichame" | Sean Roldan | Co-lyricist with Kavingar Sarathi |

## Television

| Year | Name of Television Show | Role | Network |
| 2023-2024 | Super Singer Season 10 | Judge | Star Vijay |