Anirudh Ravichander, also known as simply Anirudh, is a celebrated Indian music composer and playback singer who has made music for movies in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi languages. He shot to global fame because of the hugely popular viral video, Why This Kolaveri Di in the film 3, which surpassed 450 million views on YouTube. Throughout his career, he has made music for some very successful movies such as Kaththi, Petta, Jailer, and Jawan. Anirudh has bagged many prestigious awards like Filmfare, SIIMA, Edison, and Vijay Award among others.
Content
Anirudh Ravichander Bio Summary
Anirudh Ravichander, Bio summary in table form given below:
Fields
Details
Full Name
Anirudh Ravichander
Mononym / Stage Name
Anirudh
Date of Birth
16 October 1990
Age (2026)
35 Years
Birthplace
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Nationality
Indian
Religion
Hindu
Height
Approx. 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Profession
Film Composer, Playback Singer, Music Producer, Instrumentalist, Concert Performer, Record Label Founder
Debut Film
3 (2012), directed by Aishwarya R. Dhanush
Breakthrough Song
“Why This Kolaveri Di” (November 2011)
Father
Ravi Raghavendra (Tamil Film Actor)
Mother
Lakshmi Ravichander (Classical Dancer)
Maternal Grandfather
S. V. Ramanan (Filmmaker, Advertiser, Musician)
Uncle
Rajinikanth (Superstar Actor)
Cousin
Aishwarya R. Dhanush (Director)
Cousin-in-Law
Dhanush (Actor)
School
Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan, K.K. Nagar, Chennai
College & Degree
Loyola College, Chennai B.Com (2011)
Music Training
Classical Piano at Trinity College of Music, London; Carnatic Music; Sound Engineering – Soundtech Media, Chennai
Instruments
Piano (Keyboards), Vocals
Genres
Film Score, Background Score, Independent Pop, Carnatic Fusion, Electronic, Hip-Hop, Kuthu, EDM, Folk
Active Since
2011 – Present (15+ years)
Total Films Scored
60+ (Tamil, Telugu, Hindi)
Record Label
Albuquerque Records (Founded February 2026)
Key Labels / Partners
Sony Music India, Sun Pictures, T-Series, Lahari, Wunderbar, Eros, Zee, Divo, Aditya
Marital Status
Unmarried (as of May 2026)
Net Worth & Earnings
Category
Details
Estimated Net Worth
₹50 Crore+
Net Worth Year
As of 2025-26 (public estimates)
Per Film Fee (2025)
Around ₹10 Crore
Reported For
Top-tier film projects
Films Scored
60+ films
Industries Worked In
Tamil, Telugu & Hindi cinema
‘Kolaveri Di’ YouTube Views
450 Million+ views
Song Release Year
2011
Thalapathy Thiruvizha Collection
₹50 Crore concert box office (Dec 2025)
Major Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024
Award Category
Best Music Director
Musical Style & Creative Influence
Anirudh’s music defies easy categorisation. His output spans:
Musical Style
Details
Mass / Kuthu Numbers
High-energy songs made for the big screen – Vaathi Coming, Selfie Pulla, Kaavaalaa. Songs that are meant to make audiences jump out of their seats.
Background Scores
The best talent that he has, according to directors. Music scores in Vikram, Jailer, and Jawan have been called groundbreaking, music scores that are able to transform an ordinary scene into something unforgettable.
Emotional Ballads
Thaai Kelavi (Thiruchitrambalam), Anbenum (Leo), Adhento Gaani Vunnapaatuga (Jersey) – rich melody that originates from Carnatic music tradition.
EDM / Electronic
Effortlessly blends EDM, trap, and hip hop sound production, especially in films directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj – the influence of Western culture learned while studying music in London.
Folk / Regional
Often makes use of folk music traditions of Tamil Nadu in his commercial music production.
Education & Musical Training
Category
Details
Schooling
Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan, K.K. Nagar, Chennai
School Band
Formed a band called Zinx with fellow students
Reality Show Achievement
Zinx became one of the winning bands selected by A. R. Rahman
Early Award
Won the Best Instrumentalist award during school years
College Education
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) from Loyola College in 2011
Classical Piano Training
Studied Western classical piano at Trinity College of Music
Carnatic Music Training
Received traditional South Indian classical music training
Fusion Band Experience
Performed in a Carnatic fusion band during school
College Band
Core member of funk-rock band Circuit during college
Sound Engineering
Diploma in sound engineering from Soundtech Media, Chennai
Musical Strength
Blend of Western classical, Carnatic music, rock, EDM, and sound engineering expertise
Early Film Work
Composed background music for short films directed by cousin Aishwarya Rajinikanth
Career Turning Point
His short film compositions impressed Aishwarya, leading to his debut feature film opportunity
Career Journey
Year
Details
2010–2011
During his education in Loyola College, Anirudh Ravichander has created background music for the shorts produced by Aishwarya Rajinikanth. The song Why This Kolaveri Di of the film 3 went viral even prior to its release.
2012
The release of Why This Kolaveri Di turned him into a sensation across the nation. Why This Kolaveri Di became the first viral Indian hit globally and gained millions of views on YouTube, making Anirudh a famous personality at the age of 21.
2013
Created background music for Vanakkam Chennai and the Tamil language David. Awarded the Vijay Award for Best Find of the Year for his contribution to the film 3.
2014
Produced blockbuster albums like Ethir Neechal, Maan Karate, Velaiyilla Pattathari, and Kaththi. Compositions such as Selfie Pulla gained prominence.
2015–2016
Consolidated his stronghold through hit album creations like Maari, Kaaki Sattai, Remo, and Thanga Magan. Became one of the best film composers in Tamil movies.
2017–2018
Entered the Telugu film industry with Agnyaathavaasi. Made compositions for Kolamaavu Kokila, which was produced by Nelson Dilipkumar.
2019
Has worked with Rajinikanth in the film Petta. Has also received recognition for Telugu movies Jersey and Gang Leader starring Nani.
2020
Worked on the film Darbar featuring Rajnikanth. Formed the studio called Albuquerque Records.
2021
Master featuring Vijay became a massive hit. The song Vaathi Coming became a national anthem, and the background score was highly appreciated.
The Blockbuster Era (2022–2026)
Project
Details
Vikram (2022)
The movie Vikram, featuring Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, and Fahadh Faasil, emerged as a massive hit and made over ₹450 crore. The film’s soundtrack got tremendous acclaim from the audience. The songs like Pathala Pathala turned into big hits.
Thiruchitrambalam (2022)
Thiruchitrambalam, featuring Dhanush, displayed the softer side of Anirudh’s music. Thaai Kelavi and Megham Karukkatha were immensely popular.
Jailer (2023)
Jailer, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, featured Rajinikanth. It earned approximately ₹605-650 crore worldwide. Kaavaalaa became a national hit.
Jawan (2023)
The movie Jawan featuring Shah Rukh Khan saw Anirudh’s entry into Bollywood. In 2024, he received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Zee Cine Award for Best Music Director.
Leo (2023)
The film ‘Leo’, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and featuring Vijay, also emerged as a success. The most popular songs from the album were Badass and Anbenum.
2023 Achievement
Anirudh produced three successful movies in India during the same period, namely, Jailer, Jawan, and Leo.
Vettaiyan (2024)
The cooperation between Vettaiyan and Rajinikanth remained fruitful.
Indian 2 (2024)
The music from Indian 2, starring Kamal Haasan, was composed by Anirudh in studios around the globe such as Budapest, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Las Vegas.
Coolie (2025)
According to reports, Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and starring Rajinikanth, made a profit of ₹514–675 crore. Some songs were Chikitu, Monica, and Powerhouse.
Vidaai Muyarchi (2025)
Ajith’s movie Vidaamuyarchi gave another big association with Anirudh.
Thalapathy Thiruvizha (2025–26)
A mammoth musical concert was organized on 27 December 2025 in Bukit Jalil National Stadium for celebrating Vijay’s film career before he joined politics. Around 100,000 people participated in that musical show which earned about ₹50 crores and got a record in The Malaysia Book of Records.
Jana Nayagan (2025–26)
It also acted as an audio release show for the film Jana Nayagan, where Anirudh presented more than 40 songs of Vijay with orchestra.
Key Filmography
Year
Film
Language
Notable Songs / Notes
2012
3
Tamil
Why This Kolaveri Di, 450M+ YouTube views; debut film
Kaavaalaa; ₹605–650 Cr BO; Rajini calls BGM My God
2023
Jawan
Hindi
SRK; Dadasaheb Phalke & Zee Cine Award winner
2023
Leo
Tamil
Badass, Anbenum; Vijay-Lokesh collab #2
2024
Indian 2
Tamil
Kamal Haasan; recorded across 5 countries
2024
Vettaiyan
Tamil
Rajinikanth; continued superstar partnership
2025
Coolie
Tamil
Rajini-Lokesh collab; ₹514–675 Cr BO
2025
Vidaai Muyarchi
Tamil
Ajith Kumar; Sawadeeka, Pathikichu
2026
Jana Nayagan
Tamil
Vijay’s final film; 100K-person concert in Malaysia
2026
Jailer 2
Tamil
Rajinikanth-Nelson sequel; releasing 12 June 2026
Awards & Honours
Award / Honour
Details
Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Award
Best Music Director for Jawan (February 2024)
Zee Cine Awards
Best Music Director and Best Background Music for Jawan (March 2024)
SIIMA Awards
Won 9 awards across different categories and years
Edison Awards
Won 6 awards for excellence in South Indian music
Vijay Awards
Won 5 awards, including Best Find of the Year in 2013
Filmfare Awards South
Won 2 Filmfare Awards in the Tamil film industry
YouTube Gold Medal Award
Why This Kolaveri Di received the Recently Most Popular award in 2012
YouTube Trending Silver Medal
Why This Kolaveri Di received global trending recognition in 2012
Business Ventures & Albuquerque Records
Business Venture / Brand
Details
Albuquerque Records (2026)
This music label, known as Albuquerque Records, is owned by Anirudh himself and was formed in the year 2026. This music label aims at producing songs related to film music, independent music, and regional South Indian music. Also, it will enable him to retain ownership of his songs.
Label Leadership
The former Sony Music India South label head B.Kaushik has been made the Label Head & COO of this record label.
Artist Support
This music label encourages upcoming artists to send their demo songs.
Recording Studio
Albuquerque Records is inspired by the recording studio owned by Anirudh and is based on a city in the TV series Breaking Bad.
VS Mani & Co.
The VS Mani & Co. company produces high-quality filter coffee for Tamils, and Anirudh is a co-founder and brand promoter for it.
Loca Loka
Loca Loka is a brand of tequila of premium quality established in collaboration with Rana Daggubati and businessman Sree Harsha Vadlamudi. The brand was launched in India in November 2024.
Industry Focus
Thanks to the Loca Loka project, Anirudh has entered the business of lifestyle and premium beverages.
Apple Music India
Anirudh became the brand ambassador for Apple Music India, thus enhancing his identity as a youthful music icon.
Live Concerts & Stage Presence
Category
Details
Live Concert Identity
One of the rare Indian film composers to have a successful secondary career as a concert artist.
Concert Style
Anirudh Is a singer as well as an orchestral conductor in his concerts.
Concert Brand
He has gained fame due to his series of Anirudh Live concerts.
International Tours
Has toured countries such as India, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, UAE, and Malaysia.
Major Concert Event
Thalapathy Thiruvizha event held in December 2025 at Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
Event Attendance
Around 100,000 people attended the concert.
Box Office Revenue
The concert reportedly earned around ₹50 crore.
Special Performance
Orchestral conductor for a 6-hour concert involving 40 songs from Vijay’s filmography, plus some from Jana Nayagan.
Record Achievement
The event entered The Malaysia Book of Records for highest attendance at a Malaysian event.
2026 Concert Plans
Launched an international music concert tour in addition to the formation of the Albuquerque Records company.
Hukum World Tour
The Hukum World Tour received legal clearance from the Madras High Court after facing a legal challenge.
Stage Reputation
Notable for its high energy performances, orchestral performances, and audience participation.
Musical Style & Creative Influence
Anirudh’s music defies easy categorisation. His output spans:
Musical Style / Genre
Details
Mass / Kuthu Songs
Anirudh Ravichander is popular for his vibrant mass numbers such as Vaathi Coming, Selfie Pulla, and Kaavaalaa, created to create a theatrical effect on big screens.
Background Scores (BGM)
Highly appreciated for intense and immersive BGM compositions in movies like Vikram, Jailer, and Jawan. Directors acknowledge that he brings out emotions with his BGM tracks.
Emotional Ballads
Renowned for creating soulful music, including Thaai Kelavi, Anbenum, and Adhento Gaani Vunnapaatuga, based on Carnatic music.
EDM & Electronic Music
Commonly combines EDM, trap, hip-hop, and modern electronic music genres, particularly when collaborating with Lokesh Kanagaraj.
Folk & Regional Music
Employs traditional sounds of the Tamil regions to give credibility to commercial tracks.
Musical Strength
Famous for creating music that complements the film’s storyline rather than drowning out the scenes.
Major Director Collaborations
Regularly collaborates with filmmakers such as Lokesh Kanagaraj, Nelson Dilipkumar, S. Shankar, and Atlee.
Creative Influence
Strongly inspired by A. R. Rahman and incorporates elements from Indian classical as well as contemporary Western music.
Family Background and Personal Life
Category
Details
Full Name
Anirudh Ravichander
Date of Birth
16 October 1990
Birthplace
Chennai
Father
Ravi Raghavendra, Tamil film actor
Mother
Lakshmi Ravichander, Trained classical dancer
Grandfather
S. V. Ramanan, Documentary filmmaker, advertiser, and musician
Relation to Rajinikanth
Nephew of Rajinikanth
Cousin
Aishwarya Rajinikanth
Cousin-in-Law
Dhanush
Early Interest in Music
Started composing music at the age of 10
Musical Inspiration
A. R. Rahman
Career Goal
Chose music as a full-time career over a conventional profession
Marital Status (2026)
Unmarried
Rumoured Relationships
Linked with Keerthy Suresh and Kavya Maran (unconfirmed reports)
Personality & Reputation
Known for humility, warmth, and support for independent artists
Support for New Artists
Promotes upcoming musicians through Albuquerque Records
Public Image
Maintains a private personal life despite major fame
Relationship with Family
Shares a close bond with parents and Rajinikanth family
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Anirudh Ravichander
Anirudh Ravichander is an Indian composer and playback singer for music in the movies. Anirudh composed Why This Kolaveri Di and got famous throughout the world for that song.
Approximately ₹50 crore is his net worth estimate as of 2025-26. He earns a fee of about ₹8-10 crore per film for high-end films, which makes him one of India’s highest-paid music composers.
What is Anirudh’s most famous song?
Why This Kolaveri Di (2011) – The first viral music track of India with 450M+ views on YouTube. Some other huge hits of his are Vaathi Coming, Kaavaalaa, Selfie Pulla, and Pathala Pathala.
Who is Anirudh Ravichander’s father
His father is Ravi Raghavendra, a well-known Tamil film actor.
Who is Anirudh Ravichander’s Mother
His mother is Lakshmi Ravichander, a trained classical dancer.
Picture Portfolio
Anirudh Ravichander with Kamal HaasanAnirudh Ravichander with his music awardsAnirudh Ravichander with MS DhoniAnirudh Ravichander with Superstar Rajinikanth.
Shivam Kumar is a journalist at The Jan Post, known for his unbiased, research-based, and fact-driven reporting. He covers social issues, politics, education, and public affairs with clarity and accuracy. He also specializes in writing well-researched biography profiles of celebrities, politicians, and public figures, focusing on authenticity, neutrality, and structured content.
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