Tamil playback singer Krishnaraj, known for collaborations with Deva, passes away

Cinema Express

Cinema Express · Image source

Source published Oct 22, 2026 · Toronto

What To Know

Playback singer Krishnaraj, who sang more than 300 songs in Tamil films including Paruthiveeran, Arunachalam and Kadhal Kottai, passed away on Thursday, October 22, 2026. He was 75. The cause of death is not yet known, according to Cinema Express.

Krishnaraj received the Tamil Nadu State Government Award for Best Playback Singer for the track 'Thanjavooru Mannu Eduthu' in the 1997 film Porkkaalam. Notably, that track — sung by Krishnaraj and composed by Deva — was played at the 2016 funeral of Singapore president Sellapan Ramanathan, who hailed from Tamil Nadu.

His death comes about a week after the passing of Deva, one of his most frequent collaborators. During the 1990s he sang several songs to Deva's music, including 'Vellarikka Pinju Vellarikka' from Kadhal Kottai, and 'Kaathadikkuthu Kaathadikkuthu' and 'Tirupathi Ezhumalai Venkatesa' from Ninaivirukkum Varai. His first singing work was in Adhikaalai Subavelai, composed by Deva, which was never released in theatres.

Actor Sarathkumar paid tribute, calling Krishnaraj's passing 'an irreplaceable loss to the world of music' and recalling songs he acted in that Krishnaraj sang, including 'Paasamulla Sooriyane' from Vinnukkum Mannukkum. Tamil Nadu chief minister Joseph Vijay also offered condolences, calling the singer's demise 'a great loss to Tamil cinema.'

Background: Krishnaraj's career was closely intertwined with composer Deva's, whose own passing was reported about a week earlier. The Porkkaalam track that won Krishnaraj the state award in 1997 was deemed significant enough to be played at the 2016 state funeral of Singapore's president — a rare distinction for a film song, and a measure of the pair's cultural reach beyond cinema.