The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : At 70, Susheela's voice is still young

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 29, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

At 70, Susheela's voice is still young

S.R. Ashok Kumar

She sang more than 20 of her most memorable melodies

FROM ONE LEGEND TO ANOTHER: Veteran actress Manorama felicitates P. Susheela during the latter's live performance. — Photo: M. Srinath

CHENNAI: At 70, people would have retired and preferred the comfort of home. But P. Susheela performed live, showing that she has not lost any of her verve in all her 50 years of singing career. Against a promised 15 songs, the singer chose to present more than 20 of her most memorable melodies.

Had the programme started at the scheduled time of 5-30 p.m., she would have sung more songs (it actually began at 6-45 p.m.) The programme, `Marakka Mudiyuma' was held at YMCA in Royapettah on Sunday.

Organisers, taking the audience for granted, ignored other aspects of the programme. They assumed that the crowd would sit tight even if the arrangements were not up to the mark. This was what happened on the Sunday's show.

The instruments' sounds did not sound anywhere near the original. The mike kept giving trouble to the singer. At one point, Susheela wondered whether to rely on the mike anymore. The song selection must be made keeping in mind the singer' age and her voice range. With all these problems, she mesmerised the audience. Singer U.Ke. Murali with his manly voice was a surprise package. Another legend P.B. Srinivas who came to hear and appreciate the singing queen, joined in the performance on stage.

Actress Manorama, music composers T.K. Ramamoorthy and Rahena (A.R. Rahman's sister) felicitated Susheela.

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