Manayangath Subramanian Viswanathan (24 June 1928 – 14 July 2015), also known as M.S.V., was an Indian music director, singer and actor who predominantly worked in Tamil film industry.

In a depressed state, Viswanathan's mother decided to kill him, and herself to escape from abject poverty and lack of support, by drowning in a pond.

He would often play truant from school and stand outside the house of Neelakanta Bhagavathar, a local music teacher, and listen to his teaching other students.

[citation needed] As a rare human approach, M. S. Viswanathan, looked after his friend J. P. Chandrababu, the great Comedian and Singer of Tamil films, when the latter fell into financial ruins.

The composer and violinist T. R. Papa met Viswanathan, took a liking to him and arranged a job for him as an errand boy for S. V. Venkatraman's musical troupe in 1942.

Ramamoorthy and Viswanathan joined and completed the background music for the films Subburaman was working on, including Devadas, Chandirani and Marumagal.

[22] J. Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, conferred the title Thirai Isai Chakravarthy (Emperors of the Cine Music) on Viswanathan and Ramamoorthy in August 2012[6] and presented them with 60 gold coins and a new car.

[7][8] Viswanathan Ramamoorthy duo were the first musicians to arrange a stage performance of the film singers and live orchestra in India.

This became a trend setter and paved the way not only for the birth of many musical troops, but also for knowing, understanding and learning about the western instruments among millions of Indians.

He used elements such as humming and whistling in his songs, and blended new trends such as western music and disco with Indian classical tunes.

[23][24] Some of his films as solo music composer include Idhayakani, Gallatta Kalyanam, Chandrodhyam, Kannan En Kadhalan, Dheiva Magan, Nimrundhu Nil, Rickshakaran, Ulagam Sutrum Vaaliban, and Urumai Kural.

[25] He performed songs such as Sollathan Ninaikiren, Inbathilum Thunbathilun Sirithidu Magaley, Yenakkoru Kaathalai Irukindral, Sangamam and Vidaikodu Engal Nadey.

[26] Viswanathan worked with many different film directors, including B. R. Panthulu, S. S. Vasan, B. S. Ranga, and Krishnan–Panju in the 1950s, and in later decades with C. V. Sridhar, A. Bhimsingh, Madhavan, T. R. Ramanna, A. C. Trilogchander, K. Shankar, K. Balachander, Muktha Srinivasan, Chitralaya Gopu, Cho Ramaswamy, and K. S. Gopalakrishnan from the 1960s.

From the 1970s directors such as S. P. Muthuraman, Major Sundarrajan, Bhagyaraj, D. Yoganand, C. V. Rajendran, P. Madhavan, K. S. Prakash Rao, Vietnam Veedu Sundaram, N. T. Rama Rao, and I. V. Sasi frequently worked with Viswanathan; later, in the 1980s and 1990s, new directors such as Visu, Mouli, Komal Swaminathan, and K. Raghunath collaborated with Viswanathan regularly.

He is also considered responsible for making singers like S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Vani Jairam, R. Balasaraswathi, S. Janaki, A. L. Raghavan, Sirkazhi Govindarajan and K. J. Yesudas popular names.

His notable musical works from 1980s to 1990s included - Polladhavan, Avan Aval Adhu, Billa, Mazhalai Pattalam, Varumayin Niram Sigappu (1980), Antha Ezhu Natkal (1981), Kizhvanam Sivakkam (1981), Thaneer Thaneer (1981), Thillu Mullu (1981), Sathyam Sundaram (1981), Simla Special (1982), Pokkiri Raja (1982), Saranalayam (1983), Mridanga Chakravarthi (1983), Puyalkadantha Boomi (1984), Idanilangal (1985), Sugamana Ragangal, Vasantha Ragam (1986), Sattam Oru Vilayattu (1987), Samrat Ashok (1992), Manikantana Mahime (1993), Vetri Vinayagar (1996), Amma Ammayiamma (1998).

[27] Since 1996, Viswanathan focused on composing devotional music and serving as a judge in Malayalam and Tamil TV reality shows.

He sang the song "Vidai Kodu Engal Naadae" for 2002 Tamil film "Kannathil Muthamittal" composed by A.R.Rahman.

[28] Then in 2013 he sang for the film Neelam – the song called 'Alayae o Alayae' and it was recorded in the supervision of music composer Satish Chakravarthy.