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When three is company
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A fun number from `Madhuchandralekha' has rejuvenated Saraswathy Shankar as a singer
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The director of the film chose me as he felt that my voice matched that of Urvashi's SARASWATHY SHANKAR
UNIQUE STYLE Saraswathy Shankar
`Kusuma vadana moha sundara
En madana lalitha gana vallabha'
When Saraswathy Shankar sang this song for Urvashi in the film `Madhuchandralekha,' the 50-year-old singer never dreamt that it would bring her such popularity.
"There are three voices in the song. I sing in base, Chitra Iyer in top and Kavalam Sreekumar's classical pieces are in high pitch. It is the difference between the voices that has made it so popular. The director of the film, Rajasenan sir, chose me as he felt that my voice matched that of Urvashi's. He told me the story and gave me an idea of Urvashi's character in the film. I was asked to sing in a high pitch. I suggested if I could sing it in base it would sound better. And they agreed. They were impressed and Kuttan (M.Jayachandran) asked me to sing before the microphone. They liked it. Actually, Kuttan had sung the track,'' explains Saraswathy who began her career in films in the late Seventies.
It was Aroma Mani who introduced her to the Malayalam film world in the film `Pandu pandu oru rajakumaran.' The song was tuned by Syam and was by, Kavalam Sreekumar, Venu and Preetha. Then I sang an English song `I am a free bird' for the film `Aparna.' `Thandavam' gave me a break. `Paalum koodam eduthu' tuned by M.G.Sreekumar was a hit. It was his debut as a music director.''
She has also lent her voice for a couple of albums such as
`Anandageetham' with P.Jayachandran.
Junior Usha Uthup
Saraswathy Shankar is also known as a singer of Usha Uthup's songs. She says: "I used to sing Asha Bhonsle's songs since childhood. I remember singing `Tere bina zindagi se lekin' (`Andhi') very well. At the hostel day celebrations of the Engineering College in the 1970s I sang one of Usha Uthup's popular numbers and the students liked it. As people appreciated it, I continued to sing Usha Uthup's songs in ganamelas.
"Usha Uthup knows that there is a person in Thiruvananthapuram who is known as Junior Usha Uthup. She has sent me gifts. That friendship still continues."
Another singer whose style she likes is Subha Mudgal. Saraswathy Shankar comes from a family of musicians. She is the great granddaughter of L.Muthiah Bhagavathar, the founder and first principal of Swati Tirunal Music College. She considers her father Nellai Krishnamoorthy as her guru.
For some time she kept off stage programmes as she had to look after her ailing father. Now, she plans to get back to the stage in a big way. A new album with Jayan Pisharady is also in the offing.
G. JAYAKUMAR
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