Jerry Amaldev

Jerry Amaldev (born 15 April 1939) is a three-time Kerala State Film Awards winning Indian composer of film scores who has given music to some of the most important motion pictures of Malayalam cinema. He is noted for his lyrical and expressive melodies together with simple but rich tonal compositions of Indian music.

Jerry Amaldev was born in a Roman Catholic Latin Rite family belonging to Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly on 15th April 1939 in Kochi, Kerala, to V.C Joseph and Mary Joseph. He Obtained the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy from the Papal Athenaeum, Pune. He is considered as one of the evergreen music directors in Mollywood, even though he worked for a small span. His notable films as a music director are Manjil Virinja Pookkal, Aparahnam, Ennennum Kannettante, Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku, Nokketha Dhoorathu Kannum Nattu, Guruji oru Vakku are some of his all time favourites. He received "Kerala State Film Awards" three times as a music director. However he suddenly disappeared from Malayalam industry in and around the time of millennium, for reasons that are unclear, leaving his rich composition for the Malayalam films.

He has composed around 300 songs in 70 Malayalam films. His songs are all-time chartbusters, and his music is relatively simple and can be absorbed easily by common man. Some of his memorable songs are Deva Dumdubi, Poovataka, Alorungi arongoringi, Maunagale chanchaduvan, Manjanikombil, Mizhiyoram, Aayiram kannumai, Vaachalam en mounam, Kiliye, Pennite chenchudil are his some of his hits.

Jerry Amaldev debuted in Malayalam industry through Fazil's Manjil Virinja Pookkal in 1980 and won the Kerala State Award for excellence in Music Direction for the same. Before that, he used to work as assistant to the great Indian Music Director Naushad. He was trained in North Indian Vocal Music under Madhusoondan Patwardhan of Vishnu Digambar Sangeet Vidyalaya, Pune. Since the debut was a hit in Malayalam he got really busy in Mollywood and had worked for around 75 films. He had conducted musical ceremony during the Pope’s visit of India with choir of 500 and an orchestra of 40. He had also composed songs for some Bollywood movies.

But during the early time of millennium he suddenly disappeared from Malayalam industries. No.1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North is the last known film that he had composed for any Malayalam films. After quitting Malayalam film industry he started teaching music at the American International School, Chennai, an institution of the State Dept., Washington D.C., and in Rockland County, N.Y. He was closely associated with the Purandar Mallya and Atul Laddu families in Rockland County, N.Y. He is now working at Choice School, Cochin, where he teaches school students music along with composing music for various socially relevant films and television serials. He now teaches at the Asian Christian College of Music www.accm.org.in, Kottayam as the professor to History of Music & Conducting. He is the academic adviser of the college too.

He made a comeback in 2016 by being the music director for the songs in the film Action Hero Biju directed by Abrid Shine, and starring Nivin Pauly.

He was married to Jolly Jerry Amaldev, and has three daughters Meera, Sangeeta and Dahlia. His wife died in 2008 due to cancer. Currently he lives in Palatty, Kannachanthodu Road, Kochi.

Courtesy:
Wikipedia

Prepared by: Dr. Susie Pazhavarical