R.N. Jayagopal 84th Birth Anniversary Tribute Video

Ravi Jayagopal on August 22, 2019

I’m Ravi Prashanth Jayagopal – the son of legendary Kannada Lyricist, Writer & Director, late Sri R.N. Jayagopal. I made this video to celebrate his 84th birth anniversary on August 17, 2019.

Honestly, there was no way I could do justice to his 10,000+ song resume over his lifetime, including movies, janapada geethe, and devotional songs. And if I even tried, it would be over 10 hours long, and you probably won’t ever watch it :-).

So I did the best I could to summarize some of his greatest work, interwoven with stories from my childhood.

I am blessed that I was born to not just one of the most talented writers and lyricists ever, but also one of the, if not THE, greatest human being to ever walk this earth.

RNJ 6th Anniversary

Ravi Jayagopal on May 19, 2014

RNJ_RNR_RJP

[3 generations: Me, my late grandfather R. Nagendra Rao, and my late father, R.N. Jayagopal (more pictures further below)]

 

Dearest Appa,

It has been 6 excruciatingly long years since you moved on.

I just wanted to tell you that I think about you every day, multiple times a day.

I watch the Oscars, I think about you.

I listen to a beautiful song (like when Veena just played me one on Youtube barely an hour ago), I think about you and how you would have enjoyed it. I even wonder if my expressions of enjoying something so beautiful are subconsciously mimicking you.

I watch a fantastic scene in a movie, and I think about you.

I read or listen to beautiful poetry or lyrics, I think about you.

You will always be in my heart, my beloved beloved father.

You never left, and you never will.

Hope you are having a great time with Amma, wherever you guys are.

– Ravi, your one and only son.

 

RNJ_SPB_Janaki
RNJ with two of the greatest singers in Indian films, S.P.Balasubrahmanyam and S.Janaki, who are getting ready to sing one of his legendary songs that he penned, taking notes and listening intently as he explains the situation, the emotions behind the song, the meaning behind the lyrics, so that they can do justice to the masterpiece that he created.

 

RNJ_RJP_GKV

Attending a song recording with my father, who is sitting next to one of the all-time greats and beloved music director G.K. Venkatesh

Oscar Night Special

Ravi Jayagopal on March 4, 2014

Post by Ravi Jayagopal.

Nagu Endide Manjina Bindu – Pallavi Anupallavi

Ravi Jayagopal on June 10, 2008

As a young boy, I remember going to the movie preview of “Pallavi Anupallavi” with my father.

It was Anil Kapoor’s first movie ever. Even director Mani Ratnam was not yet the big name that he is now. In fact, my father and Ilayaraja (music) were bigger names than the director and the hero of the movie. The heroine was virtually unheard of – Kiran Virale. She was pretty much unheard of even after the movie was released.

And then of course, there was “Julie” Lakshmi. One of the most amazing, most beautiful actresses India has ever produced.

Believe it or not, I acted as her son in a movie – “Hosa Kavya” – that she produced to launch her daughter, Aishwariya. Huge dud, of course. But more on that later.

Having grown up in Chennai, I was always a huge fan of Ilaiyaraja. I consider this one of Raja’s greatest tunes.

Enjoy.