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Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

Scoring on expression: Gayatri’s songs highlight her training and flair for music.

‘Chanchadi…’ (‘Makalkku’), ‘Enthe nee kanna…’ (‘Sasneham Sumithra’), ‘Thamara noolinal…’ (‘Mullavalliyum Thenmavum’), ‘Parayooo…’ (‘Pranayakalam’) are just a few of her memorable songs. “Among the film songs I have recorded recently, the one I sang for composer Sharath is really good. And I am looking forward to the release of an album of Kabir bhajans; it is composed by my friend Philip Francis. Singing those compositions was a challenge,” says Gayatri who was in Kozhikode for a concert.

Gayatri herself is into composing these days. “Composing gives you a high. There is nothing like creating something on your own. I had composed four songs in the last album of bhajans I did – ‘Vishudhi.’ I made Hariharan listen to one of them – a Meera bhajan. When he said that he liked the refreshing way I had used raga Jogkauns, I was overjoyed. I had also tuned a song in my first album of bhajans, ‘Anahata.’” She has also composed a few ghazals as well as some thumris.

“I haven’t recorded them yet, but I will. One of my ambitions is to record an album of ghazals and release it all over India and not just in Kerala.”

How did she turn to composing?

“Until my spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told me one day, out of the blue, that I should start writing or composing something on my own, the thought hadn’t entered my mind at all,” says Gayatri, who dreams of setting up a band that plays fusion music. She does sing some of her compositions at her concerts.

“Performing Hindustani classical music concerts and ghazals are something I enjoy immensely,” she admits. She adds that she wished she had more of film songs too.

It was a stroke of luck that saw an ardent music student become a playback singer when the late Raveendran asked her to sing ‘Deena dayalo…’ (‘Arayannangalude Veedu’).

“I had come on a vacation from Pune, where I was studying Hindustani classical music; at that time the only music I cared for was Hindustani classical. Raveendran was impressed when he was told that a Malayali girl had gone up North to learn Hindustani music. He magnanimously retained the manodharma I used while humming the anupallavi of the song. He was surprised, but he liked it and retained it.” That song was noticed, as was her second, ‘Ghana Shyama…’ (‘Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal’).

But she didn’t become an overnight singing sensation. She missed out on a few opportunities when she returned to Pune to continue her classes. Unfortunately, many of the melodious songs she sang did not give her mileage as the movies flopped.

“Usually, a song gets noticed only if it is in a hit movie; you can see that even mediocre songs of a successful film are hits. I know I haven’t sung too many film songs and in our present set-up you need film songs to succeed as a musician,” feels Gayatri. She is, however, confident that she will get her due in Malayalam playback singing.

“Hariharan had to wait till his 40’s to taste success in cinema, in spite of being so gifted. The talented Sadhana Sargam has not sung, even now, as many songs in Bollywood as she should have,” she points out.

Ouseppachan, the composer who has given her some of her finest songs, including the State-award winning ‘Enthe nee kanna…,’ believes Gayatri deserves more success.

“Her greatest strength is the bhavam she gives to a song. And she has a unique voice and a style of her own,” he says.

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