Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Pondicherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
Tune of success
|
Life is hectic for singer Sheela Mani who has sung `Kannamma' but she's not complaining
|
Success comes before work only in the dictionary, isn't it?
Photo: S. Gopakumar
MELODIOUS BREAK Sheela Mani has won hearts with her voice
Her voice came as soft as a whisper, wafting through the breeze capturing the hearts of listeners who heard the soundtrack of `Thanmathra.' For Sheela Mani the popular song `Kannamma' spelt overnight success. "All credit goes to Mohan Sitara, the music director for daring to give me this opening. This was one of the two songs he eventually decided on for me. You might have noticed that the lines I've sung make for only half the song. I had no idea it would be accepted so well. This must be what they call destiny," she gushes.
Golden break
She has a faraway look in her eyes as she recalls the turn of events that brought the much-awaited opportunity. "`Kannamma' has showed me that singing one good song in one good movie makes a bigger impact than singing a song each in 10 movies!" she says.
It was while she came on vacation three years ago from Saudi Arabia, that she teamed with Balabhaskar to do the album `Thaka Dhimi.'
The title track was a hit that won Sheela Mani the coveted Drisya award for best female singer in an album. She was soon offered the chance to be part of a five-member girl band `Queens Ilayanila' for a music show on Jeevan TV.
Playing hostess on `Anjali' a music programme for Amrita TV followed and much to her surprise Sheela's voice was being compared to that of Asha Bhonsle, one of her favourite singers.
"It was `Queen's Ilayanila' that made me a thorough professional. I never took singing very seriously before. I want to concentrate on learning the nuances of music now. The learning process never stops," she observes.
She has a predilection for ghazals and old Hindi romantic songs, her favourite artistes being Hariharan and Jagjit Singh. It is yet to sink in that Hindustani musician Ramesh Narayan is now tutoring her.
Being the daughter of the only woman Carnatic whistling artiste in Kerala, Sheela was never a stranger to classical music. But it required constant encouragement on her mother, Vasantha Mani's part, to bring Sheela's musical skills to the fore .
"She is my best critic, motivator and advisor. She accompanies me for my recordings and if I sing a line the wrong way, she whistles the line in the correct raga for me!" she says as her mother beams at her.
Sheela's husband, Mani, has also been a source of support urging her to sing at stage shows even while they were in Saudi Arabia.
"After my kids, it is music that I value the most in life. I guess wanting to do better each time is human and I am working on perfecting the skill I've been given. It leaves me with little time to catch up with my hobbies like reading non-fiction and cooking. But there's so much happiness in doing what you enjoy because no matter how strenuous the project at the end of the day you are satisfied. Success comes before work only in the dictionary, isn't it?" she laughs.
Life has been hectic post-`Thanmathra' but Sheela Mani isn't complaining.
SAJINI V. SAHADEVAN
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Pondicherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
|
