(1928 - 2015)
The duo, titled 'Mellisai Mannargal' composed music for over 750 films before their separation. They came together again in 1995 to compose music for the film Yenkiruntho Vanthan.
The MSV-Kannadasan combination also proved a great success in devotional music. The album Krishna Ganam bears testimony to this.
Vaali's first song for MSV was Poovaraiyum Poongodiyey Poomalai Soodava rendered by P.B. Srinivas was a hit.
MSV’s first film was Jenova and the hero was M.G. Ramachandran. The two later worked on Gulebakavali, Mannadhi Mannan, Paasam, Panathottam, Kalangarai Vilakkam, Aayirathil Oruvan and many others.
MSV and Sivaji Ganesan worked together on many films, with many of them becoming hit films — some of those being Karnan, Panam, Pattikaada Pattanama, Tenali Raman, Paar Magale Paar and Motor Sundaram Pillai
Though MSV’s work with former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao is limited, he composed for the film, Simha Baludu, NTR’s last puranic role. NTR also acted in the films Karnan and Tenali Ramakrishna in well-known supporting roles, films for which MSV composed some hit songs.
The only songs which Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa sung in her film career, were for MSV in the film Suriyakanthi. Ms. Jayalalithaa’s first film, Vennira Adai also had music by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, the duo who later gave her some of her most popular songs. Her first film opposite MGR, Aayirathil Oruvan also featured music by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy.
MSV’s music rendered more sweetness to P.B.Srinivas’ voice. The evergreen ‘Nilave Ennidam Nerungadhae’ and ‘Kalangalil Aval Vasantham’ are classic examples. With TMS, his expressive intonations came alive with MSV’s music: ‘Ponal pogattum poda’; ‘Poomalayil’ are perfect examples.
Both singers catapulted to fame, thanks to hits from MSV like Aalaya Maniyin Oosai and Kaadhodu Dhaan Naan Pesuvein. The combination of MSV and Susheela provided a mix of melody and folk.