Kalyana Thenila

I did not think singing "Kalyana Thenila" with a track would pose to be a challenge. The tune seemed simple enough and I had sung it so many times before, so I was good to go when Kumar Srinivasan and I decided to work on it.

I would have sung it some 15 times and I was not happy with the result. Each time, I would either forget some sangathi or I would fail to reach the top note or forget the lyrics. The shruthi was a tad too high for me and the track was faster than the original, to add to my misery. Eventually, I sat down to listen to the song a dozen times or so. After listening to the subtle brigaas that Chithra had sung so effortlessly, I just wanted to give up the whole thing.

I thank Kumar for bearing with the suffering of having to use my vocals for his duet!

Movie: Mounam Sammatham Music: Ilayaraaja

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Kannaalane

By the time the movie “Bombay” had left the theatres that year, my sister and I had seen it about a dozen times. We could accurately recite the dialogue AND BGM of every scene in the movie and remembered every single costume ArvindSamy and Manisha wore and provided great entertainment (?) to our neighbours until the wee hours, with our recital of every song in the movie. "Bombay" did a lot of damage to our studies too, you can imagine! My parents were beginning to get very worried about the mental state of their adolescent daughters!

The movie only strengthened the immense how-to-name-it feeling we had developed for ARR! I still remember how we used to look forward to the scene where Manisha goes to Arvind's house – "Pa SA Ni SA Ni SA Ri SA" in Hariharan's scintillating voice in the background- just one of those umpteen ecstatic moments…

"Kannaalane" is my favourite pick from Chithra's solos (for any MD). Every single nuance in the song (she doesn't sing the same line the same way twice) was just perfect.

Of course, I know you will fondly pardon me for singing this song! I am only like a child trying to catch the moon!

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Naan Thedum Sevvanthipoovidu

My limited knowledge in Carnatic music does not allow me to identify the ragas of numerous movie songs, like this one. My guess is Hindolam or Chandrakauns or something in-between!

All that matters to me is that it makes my heart leap with joy whenever I listen to it!

Movie: Dharma Patthini

Music: Ilayaraaja

Sung by : Ilayaraaja, S.Janaki

I would like to thank Shrinesh for singing this lovely song with me!

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Chaliye

I close my eyes and imagine Shri Krishna, sitting in the cool shade of a tree in Brindavan on an afternoon in Spring. Birds chirping away, tree branches heavy with flowers and dangling in the gentle breeze, the murmuring brook rushing to meet the Yamuna…and Krishna's flute trying to hush everything by its enchanting melody. What would He be playing? Definitely Brindavana Saranga! It is a raga one would associate with the captivating charm of the Lord that engulfs the Gopikas' mind, body and soul.

Swathi Thirunal, the famous Maharajah and composer from Travancore, has composed several wonderful krithis about Lord Padmanabha. Listen to this Hindi krithi, one of his many beautiful ones adapted for the Malayalam movie "Swathi Thirunal". Sung by none other than the versatile Chithraji to the music of M.B.Srinivasan, the song brings out the essence of Divine love and succinctness of Raga Brindavana Saranga. I present to you my humble attempt of the song.

My eyes are brimming when I dedicate this song to my late grandad, RSN, who lived everyday of his life for Art and with the pride of hailing from the great land of Travancore!

Thaatha, I know you are listening to this from Heaven!

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Tu Hai Raja

The influence of the Mellisai Mannar's works on my family has been so overwhelming. In their own words, "They walk MSV, talk MSV, breathe MSV". So I grew up listening to his songs, some of them so rare…

One such song that I listened to when I was a child was this song in "Varumayin Niram Sivappu". First about the movie! Kamal and Sridevi in the peak of their career in KB’s direction- I would have seen this movie some hundred times! It will be very hard to pick a song in the movie that was just so-so. Apart from the well-known ones like “Sippi irukkudu”, there are the not-so-often heard numbers like "Paattu onnu paadu thambi" (SPB is in his element here), "Ranga Rangayya" with the Ghazal-like charanams in P.Susheela's mellifluous voice and "Tu hai Raja" by S.Janaki.

Set to the lyrics of PBS himself, "Tu hai Raja" is one of SJ's best songs in MSV's music. Her flawless Urdu pronunciation captivates the listener equally as her intoxicating voice.You can see the video of the song in You Tube.

I could not get the Tamil version of the song but the very last line and the tune that I heard years ago stayed indelibly in my mind. Hence the medley of words towards the end of the song…..

Tu Hai Raja of "Aakali Raajyam" in my voice...

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Kodiyile Malligapoo

This is the duet that I have been waiting for!

Sung by two of my favourite singers, Jayachandran Sir and Janakimma, the masterstrokes of Raja Sir are written all over. The mood that this song creates is unparalleled!

I have known Vivek for a few days now and have learnt a lot from him already! His dedication and perseverence to get a song right is simply amazing. I have had a wonderful experience when he exposed himself as an excellent critic too. That story I will save for another day. But for now, this...

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Hope you will enjoy this song as much as we did, singing it!

Movie: Kadalora Kavidhaigal

Naadhamenum Kovilile

It took me so long to get here....

Like the day of revelation after all those years...those silent months of self-denial and quiet moments of feeling worthless and wasted...

Like a ray of hope... Like those first rain drops that tease out the fresh scent of mud...

I can't remember a day that has passed without music. Born in a family full of musicians and musical associations, it's hard to escape! As I look back, I think of all those wonderful people that have made me get to here and want to say " Anthariki Vandanamu". This blogspot is but a small tribute to them.

My first song is very significant to me in my musical career (or what I set out to make of it). A lovely song rendered by Vanimma in the evergreen music of the one and only MSV. It was the song that took me to the finals of a then-popular series on television in 1999! The beauty of this song is not just the lyrics but the dexterity in which the swaras have been handled- simple yet satiating. Just enough to bring out the essence of Ragam Sriranjani. Movie: Manmadha Leelai

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