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Bass days, soprano dreams
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Young singers struggling to find a foothold in the playback arena tell K.PRADEEP about their hopes and fears.
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PROMISING VOICES: From left Vijesh Gopal, Ramesh Murali, O.U Basheer, Ganesh Sundaram, Elizabeth Raju and Vandana Menon. Photo: Mahesh Harilal
SING THEY will, against all odds. This young determined crop of singers has proved that it's not the playback world alone that is open to the talented. They are umpteen avenues where a good voice can find a vocation. Yet they yearn for a film song, for popularity begins there.
They are neither here nor there. They have journeyed too far on a chosen trail to go back. True representatives of a horde of young aspirants, these Kochi-based singers are also not cowards to call it quits. They are determined to go through all the disappointments, to take the stick, prepared to fight till they emerge from the dark tunnel. But they do not fight shy of talking about their experiences.
"There are moments when it becomes so frustrating. When you see all your sincere efforts not being rewarded, when people do not keep their promises, when offers are awarded with a rider, when opportunities are handed out and then flatly denied. But I feel that since this has been a profession of choice it is only right to persist. This must be a changing phase," feels Ganesh Sundaram, whose devotional albums are much sought after.
Backed by merit
Most of these singers have been around for at least ten years. They have won competitions, graced stages across the State, entertained through television and even managed to break into films. "Certainly, films is what all of us aim for. It is still the most powerful media and a singer gets to be heard and noticed instantly through it. And to become a playback singer is the first important step in this journey," says O. U. Basheer, who has sung in four films so far.
To break into films and then manage to cling on is no joke. And when this field has become so highly competitive, with music directors no longer calling the shots, when singers are chosen not on merit alone but on the money they can cough up to help the production, these young talents have found the going really tough. "Maybe I must ask my father or uncle to get into the business of making films. This is the only sure way to cement your place in filmdom... " Basher's bitter comment is drowned in the laughter of his friends. Basheer should know. It was he who sung the `track' for the hit song `Annakili... ' from the film `4 The People' but had to make way for another when it came to the final recording. Of course, they agree that this is part of the game.
Film songs
But then is this `film-singer' tag so very important? "Yes" they chorus and then turn towards the soft-spoken Elizabeth Raju, who has just begun speaking, "This tag is very important. It gives the much-needed stability for a young singer in this profession... ," even as Elizabeth smiles and sheepishly fades out, Vandana Menon, also a popular TV anchor, joins in "A singer is accorded a new status once he or she gets to sing in films."
To acquire this tag they very often have had to pay a heavy price. "It is not enough if one is talented. One needs to have the godfathers, right contacts. It is tough," feels Ramesh Murali, who never got another chance after his song in the film, `Innalakkal Illathe.' And Ganesh Sundaram chips in with a secret, which he says he has not even told his family. "The film in which I got to sing did not really do well nor did the audio cassette see the light of day. Added to that I was asked if I could pay around Rs. 13,000 by the producer who was running short of funds to complete the project."
In these days when the Malayalam film industry is just coming out from a very bad phase, when films do not have much room for songs, when the audio cassette industry is struggling to free itself from piracy, songs and singers are at a huge premium. For young singers, who have taken music as their career, some of them even sacrificing their professional degrees, this has become a delicate situation.
Persistent
"Personally, if film offers do not come my way, I would like to do something creative. Perhaps use the time to study music and, of course, keep on trying for opportunities," says Vijesh Gopal a mechanical engineer who has sung in films like `Pravasam' and `Hai' apart from numerous audio albums.
"These audio albums sustain us and also give us the much needed satisfaction, something that open-air ganamelas these days do not give," says Ramesh Murali. They also point out to some of the dangers that tend to creep in like "being typed and branded" as devotional singers or "only fit" for Mappilapattu. "But I'm part of a group that conducts regular devotional programmes and this is really a silver lining." And while Vandana, Ganesh, Vijesh and Ramesh nod in approval, Elizabeth sings a different tune. "It is sad, but there is some sort of a ban on Christians singing Hindu devotionals. So many music directors, who would have loved to include us have had to backtrack following pressure from the producers," reveals Elizabeth. This, despite Jesudas and his innumerable devotionals.
There is nothing more difficult than talking about music and nothing more difficult than asking singers to talk. When they do you realise that there is a crop of young singers out there who have decided to keep on singing on their journey as far as they can go so that the way will at least be less tedious.
`Ganamelas' are out
THERE WAS this very promising female singer. Some years ago, when music director Ilayaraja offered her a couple of film songs if she stayed back in Chennai, she is supposed to have said, "But then I have so many stage programmes back home."
More than the ignorance and innocence of this budding singer, that reaction revealed the popularity of stage programmes, or ganamelas, as they are called in the State. Many are the singers who have graduated from ganamela stages to playback singing and other musical ventures. This was an indispensable ingredient for any festival, religious or otherwise. This was for long the prime avenue for singers and to be on the pay rolls of popular ganamela troupes was a big thing.
TV changed things
Changes came along with the coming of regional television channels. Music was an important raw material for the many channels that sprouted and took root. The audience that once flocked to the open grounds braving the dust, heat, crowds, waiting for eternity for it to begin and trudging back home in the wee hours of the morning, moved to the tube. And the young singers were not far behind, making a beeline for the channels.
"When you get to see some of the great singers perform before you in the comfort of your sitting room it is not surprising that people shun the discomfort of open-air programmes. Another reason why ganamelas went out of favour is the very discouraging response of the young audience. They do not have the patience to listen to young singers on stage, want only the fast numbers and create a lot of problems for the rest of the crowd with their dancing, shouting and all that," says Ganesh Sundaram.
Most of the singers now look forward to ganamelas dedicated to specific music directors, singers or other themes"Here we get that rare chance to prove our mettle, ," quips Vijesh Gopal.
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