Today marks the 93rd birthday of M.S. Viswanathan known fondly as the Mellisai Mannar (Melody King) all over the globe where people speak Tamil. His music has been the inspiration to other legends such as Ilayaraja, A.R. Rahman and even budding music directors. It would be surprising to many that MSV came from Palghat to Chennai to become an actor but music was his calling. However, almost five decades after his ascension to becoming one of India's topmost film music composers and scorers destiny gave him a chance to pursue his first love.

Yes young director Saran was making a new movie with the upcoming star Ajith titled 'Kadhal Mannan' and wanted the original owner of the expression Gemini Ganesan to play a pivotal role. Gemini for some reason refused the offer and it was offered to MSV who accepted it gleefully. In that successful film the character, he played Mess Viswanathan is a devotee of Kannadasan and audiences loved the many tributes he paid to his soul mate collaborator.

In later years MSV enjoyed playing the character and comic roles especially scoring big in Kamal Haasan's 'Kadhala Kadhala', Well though it may be inappropriate to speak about the actor in MSV there is no denying that it was his first love and destiny gave it to him as a gift in the evening of his life after he gave six decades of his life to Tamil cinema music. MSV will live on as long as his songs are carried in the air in one medium or the other.