‘Paadum Nila’ S.P. Balasubrahmanyam no more

 

Legendary playback singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam handed away at a non-public hospital in Chennai on Friday. He was 74.

Balasubrahmanyam was hospitalised in August at MGM Healthcare after testing positive for COVID-19, and whereas he reportedly did properly initially, he took a flip for the more severe, and was placed on a ventilator and ECMO assist.

On September 4, he examined unfavorable for COVID-19 however continued to be on the ventilator and ECMO whilst he participated in passive physiotherapy.

“In a firther setback this morning, regardless of maximal life assist measures and the very best efforts of the scientific crew, his situation deterioted additional and he suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest. With profound grief, we remorse to tell that he has handed away on September 25th at 13.04 hours,” MGM Healthcare stated in a media launch.

Popularly referred to as SPB, Balasubrahmanyam made his singing debut in 1966 with Telugu film Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna. He has sung over 40,000 songs in as many as 16 languages together with Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi.

Balasubrahmanyam was additionally a voice-over artist. He was the voice-over artist for actor Kamal Hassan, at any time when the latter’s Tamil films had been dubbed in Telugu. Balasubrahmanyam additionally acted in a number of films.

He’s survived by his spouse, a son and a daughter — each are playback singers.

Balasubrahmanyam sang hundreds of songs in South Indian languages and in Hindi for 5 many years for generations of actors — from MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan, right down to the celebrities of the current — and is the winner of six nationwide awards. He additionally had received the hearts of a number of followers internationally for whom his songs have marked milestones.

‘Paadum Nila’ (Singing Moon) as he was known as by his followers had a lilting voice with the best traces of nice singers. “His was a breeze-like voice of A.M Raja, with the softness of the P.B. Srinivas and the effortlessness of Mohamed Rafi,” stated movie music historian Vamanan.

His voice effortlessly captured different human feelings and emotions. In a single scene he would sing a spoof — Annatha adurar othiko fun in his voice— and in one other scene he would powerfully specific the anguished thoughts by rendering — Unna nenachan paatu padichen thangame as seen in Apoorva Sagodharargal. He had acted in movies reminiscent of Manathil Uruthi Vendum, Keladi Kanmani and Sikaram, moreover scoring music for some movies.

A particularly pleasant and genial man who loved his moments with interviewers, SPB as soon as stated he was keen on life and by no means wished to die. Others within the trade had solely the very best phrases for him, contemplating him a pal and information.

SPB bagged his first nationwide award for Sankarabharanam, though all of the songs within the Telugu movie are primarily based on pure Carnatic ragas. He was by no means formally educated in Carnatic music, however that didn’t cease him, not then, not ever. “Even SPB had apprehensions about taking up the project as he had no correct coaching in classical music. It was T.Okay. Pugazhlendi, the assistant of music director Okay.V. Mahadevan who persuaded SPB to render the songs,” stated Mr. Vamanan. And what successful they turned out to be.

The second time he received the award, was for his first Hindi track, Tere Mere Beech Mein within the movie Ek Duuje Ke Liye. Two extra awards got here his method for the Telugu movies Sagarasangamam and Rudraveena. Sangeetha Sagara Ganayogi Panchakshara Gavai, the Kannada movie received him the fifth nationwide award.

The award for Tamil movies eluded him a few years though his collaboration with music administrators Ilayaraja and M.S. Viswanathan had resulted in innumerable memorable duets, solos, people songs, spoofs and songs with classical touches. He lastly received it for the track Thanga Thamarai within the movie Minsara Kanavu for which the music was scored by A.R. Rahman.

SPB in an interview stated Tamil movies supplied a variety of scenes and scope during which a track sat completely, with none artificiality.

Born Sripathi Paditha Arathyula Balasubramaniam, in 1946, to Nellore-based Harikatha exponent Sambamurthy, SPB’s ambition was to turn out to be an engineer. His failure to clear a topic in his PUC course pressured him to pursue the now-defunct AMIE course in Chennai. However the music in his blood lured him in direction of singing competitions, and eventually to the movie world.

His expertise was noticed by one other playback singer and music director S.P. Kothandapani, who was sitting among the many viewers at a contest on the Andhra Social and Cultural Society (ASCA) and he supplied him with a chance to sing within the Telugu movie Sri Sri Mariatha Ramanna. SPB was one among the many 4 singers — S.P. Kothandapani, P. Susheela, P.B. Srinivas and Eelapada Raguramaiha — who rendered the ragamalika track, Emi Evindha Mogum.

“Anybody who had listened to the half he rendered for Shoban Babu would have realised the potential within the voice. It proved to be a prelude for a report profession in movie music,” stated Mr. Vamanan. As they are saying, the remainder was historical past.

Wanting again, whilst he secured a toehold within the Telugu trade, a break within the Tamil movie trade proved elusive till an introduction to music director M.S. Viswanthan (MSV) by his pal Bharani. SPB selected to render Nilava Ennidam Nerungathy earlier than MSV, who favored the voice, however had reservations about his Tamil pronunciation. It was really an opportunity assembly with MSV opened the doorways of Tamil movie music. SPB got here in like a contemporary breeze with Iyarkai Ennum Ilayakanni, for the movie Santhi Nilayam.

“Although the track was recorded first, one other track, Aayiram Nilave Vaa within the MGR-starrer Adimaipen reached the general public first — the movie was launched earlier within the yr 1969,” defined Mr. Vamanan.

Each the songs turned successful in a single day. SPB would gratefully acknowledge the chance given to him by MGR and music director Okay.V. Mahadevan who launched him to the longer term Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

SPB was down with malaria after rehearsal was over. However MGR waited until he recovered. “MGR informed me that he didn’t need to disappoint me. He felt that I’d have knowledgeable my pals and if I used to be not given the chance, my pals wouldn’t assume properly of my capability as a singer,” SPB as soon as stated.

Later within the movie Suryakanthi, he sang the quantity Naan Endral Avalum Naanum and late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa rendered the English verses. His playback songs for thespian Sivaji Ganesan, significantly Pootuvaitha Mugamo in Sumathi En Sundari and Emuna Nadhi Inkey in Gowravam had been equally standard.

Although there’s the argument that MGR had roped in SPB due to his distinction of opinion with T.M. Soundararajan (TMS), Mr. Vamanan stated MGR continued to favor TMS to render duets and songs with political messages. MGR additionally gave alternatives to Okay.J. Jesudas and Jayachandran.

SPB sang Aval Oru Navarasa Natakam within the movie Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban and Paadum Pothu Naan Thendral Kattru and Angey Varuvathu Yaro within the movie Netru Indru Naalai. MSV continued to make use of SPB in movies of all actors.

Although he labored with different music administrators like V. Kumar, Vijaybaskar and Shyam, SPB’s profession graph ascended with the arrival of Ilayaraja and actors reminiscent of Rajinikant and Kamal Haasan.

Even with Ilayaraja it didn’t occur instantly. SPB couldn’t get a chance in Annakili, Patrakalai, Kavikuyil, Durgadevi, Deepam and Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi. As soon as the mixture started although, it proved unstoppable. Bhuvana Oru Kelvikuri supplied him two excellent songs — Raja Enbar Mandhiri Enbar and Vizhiyile Malarnthathu. The duets he rendered with S. Janaki had been irreplaceable.

At a time when Ilayaraja began dominating movie music, MSV’s music for Ninaithale Inikkum rocked and virtually all of the songs had been rendered by SPB within the movie. Later when MSV and Ilayaraja got here collectively to attain music for Mella Thiranthathu Kathavu, SPB was their pure alternative.

Actor Mohan benefited enormously from the music of Ilayaraja and voice of SPB. Nearly all of the songs in his movies proved nice numbers. His voice remained eternally youthful and he enthralled his followers by showing on stage with gentle music troupes.

He and Ilayaraja had a small falling out after the music director prevented him from singing on stage the songs composed by him, primarily based on copyright claims. The 2 patched up although later, in a public occasion.

SPB was the favorite singer of MSV and would at all times cherish the track Ilakkanam Marudho within the movie Nizhal Nijamahirathu.

When MSV composed music for Krishna Ganangal penned by Kannadasan, SPB sang the track, the lullaby Ayarpadi Maligaiyil Thaimadiyil Kantrinaipol Mayakannan Thoongukiran. And now, SPB himself might be asleep without end, his voice taking part in the identical lullaby it has performed in a number of houses for many years now.

SPB is not any extra, however his voice will stay on.