S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Subburayulu Munuswami Subbaiah Naidu (a.k.a. SMS) (15 March 1914 – 26 May 1979) was an Indian composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He was one of the oldest music directors. He worked as an in-house music composer for Central Studios and Pakshiraja Studios and well associated with S. M. Sriramulu Naidu. SMS also worked with many films under Jupiter Pictures banner and a favorite of M. G. Ramachandran. Early life. Born in 1914 in Kadaiyanallur, Subburayalu Munusami Subbiah Naidu had an unhappy childhood. He ran away from home with dreams of finding his fortune in Singapore, but ended  up working in drama troupes such as those of Jagannatha Aiyer and Nawab Rajamanickam Pillai. Finding himself drawn more to music than acting, SMS learned music from masters such as Rajagopala Iyengar and Subramaniya Bagavathar. When the company's play "Baktha Ramadas" was made into a movie, SMS worked on the music for the movie as well. Career life. He is fondly known as "Sangeethayya" in the south Indian film industries. He somehow had never changed his trend of composing much from the beginning days. He is well versed in the Indian music but never showed interest in Western tunes  and music. SMS worked jointly with other composers on a few movies in the early 1940s. He then composed music for the first movie in which MGR played the hero Rajakumaari in 1947. All through the 1950s, SMS continued to compose memorable songs in the movies that came his way. Films such as Ezhai Padum Padu (1950), Kanchana (1952) and Malaikkallan (1954) helped him to consolidate his place among the front-ranking composers of the decade. There were also Thirumanam, Maragadham, Nadodi Mannan and the magnificent classic Konjum Salangai. While he was composing music for Rajakumaari at Central Studious, SMS  made the acquaintance of the hero MGR. This laid the basis for a lifelong friendship between the two, which was further strengthened during the making of Marma Yogi and Malaikkallan. When MGR turned producer and director with Nadodi Mannan, he invited SMS to compose the songs, along with N.S. Balakrishnan who had composed 2 songs. Later, when the fortunes of SMS were on the decline in the 1960s, MGR secured for his friend a few opportunities such as Thaayin Madiyil, Aasai Mugam and Thalaivan. As the 1960s progressed, SMS engaged in a few projects towards the end of the 1960s  such as Naam Moovar, Raja Veetu Pillai, Uyir Mel Aasai, Sabash Thambi, Panakkara Pillai, Naalum Therindhavan, Chakkaram and Mannippu. In the 1970s, opportunities were few and far between Snegithi, Vairakiyam, Therottam and Thanga Gopuram. His contribution is invaluable. Not only he is a composer, but also very good conductor, orchestrator, and what not. He is considered as O. P. Nayyar of South India. His tunes were very catchy and his songs instant hits. He has made J. P. Chandrababu a great singer in the song "Kunguma Poove Konjum Puraave". He would leave no stone unturned to bring the best of  his singers. Till date, the best of S. Janaki is "Singaara Velane Deva" which was composed by him. He innovated the concept of voice with Nadaswaram. He worked with singers like C. S. Jayaraman, T. M. Soundararajan, Ghantalasa, A. M. Rajah, Thiruchi Loganathan, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, V. N. Sundharam, T. A. Mothi, P. B. Sreenivas, S. C. Krishnan, A. L. Raghavan, M. L. Vasanthakumari, P. A. Periyanayaki, P. Leela, Jikki, P. Susheela, T. V. Rathinam, K. V. Janaki, A. P. Komala, K. Jamuna Rani, Radha Jayalakshmi, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, S. Janaki and L. R. Eswari. The singing actors P. U. Chinnappa, C.  Honnappa Bhagavathar, N. C. Vasanthakokilam, U. R. Jeevarathinam, T. R. Rajakumari, K. R. Ramaswamy, Chittor V. Nagaiah, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Madhuram, P. Bhanumathi, S. Varalakshmi and J. P. Chandrababu also sang memorable songs under his compositions. Works. Some compositions of S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, include