Chakri composed for big hits

HYDERABAD/WARANGAL: Film music director Chakri, 40, passed away here on Monday. Chakradhar Jilla, who hails from Kambalapalli village in Mahbubabad mandal of Warangal district, had composed music for more than 85 films.
Chakri returned home late on Sunday night after a recording session in his studio. He was said to have suffered a heart attack in his sleep and was rushed to the Apollo hospitals in Jubilee Hills by his wife Shravani where he was declared dead after being admitted in the ICU.Chakri’s last rites were performed at the Punjagutta cremation ground in the evening after his body was taken out in a procession from his house at Journalists Colony.
The young music director carved a niche for himself in the Telugu film industry delivering music for hit films like ‘Idiot’, ‘Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayyi’, ‘Desamuduru’, and ‘Simha’, among others. He made his debut with the film ‘Baachi’, directed by Puri Jagannadh in 2000. Chakri was battling obesity problems for quite some time. The last film for which he composed music was ‘Erra bus’ directed by Dasari Narayana Rao.
Chakri was born on June 15, 1974 and composed music for films of most big heroes. He had also won the Filmfare award for best male playback singer for the song “O Maguva Nee Sneham Kosam” from the film ‘Satyam’ in 2013. He also bagged Nandi award for the best music for Balakrishna-starrer ‘Simha’.
Recently Chakri also participated in the ‘Memu Saitam’ programme organized by the Telugu film industry to raised funds for the victims of cyclone HudHud which devastated Visakhapatnam.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhara Rao mourned the death of Chakri. He recalled Chakri’s music composition for the song ‘Garadi Chesthundru…’ in the movie ‘Jai Bolo Telangana’, directed by N Shankar during the height of Telangana movement.
Several film personalities and politicians, including former Union minister Chiranjeevi, deputy chief minister T Rajaiah, PCC president Ponnala Laxmaiah condoled the death of Chakri.
Chakri’s father Jilla Venkatanarayana who had also acted in a few films died due to a heart attack in 2012.
Chakri’s sudden demise shocked the people of his native place in Warangal district. Chakri who hailed form Kambalapally village in Mahbubabad mandal donated a huge amount for the renovation of an old Siva temple in the village, said D Vasu, a playback singer and a close aide of Chakri. With Chakri’s donations, two bore wells were also sunk in the village as it was suffering due to water problem.
Chakri’s friends and well-wishers paid tributes to him at the Mahbubabad bus stand junction. Dubba Ramu, a resident of Mahbubabad, fondly recalled how the financial assistance Chakri provided helped his wife complete her post-graduation.