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My first break

How it happened

I was encouraged to sing at a tender age by my parents. My first stage performance was at a relative’s marriage where I sang a number by S. Janaki. After a year, I was called to sing on stage with K. J. Yesudas. This was my first professional break. I would have given 2,500 stage performances with Yesudas. At that time, I was called Baby Sujatha. I was in Cochin when music director M. K. Arjunan asked me to sing a song for the film Tourist Bungalow. That was my first recording; I was in Class Six. I sang for actor Jayabharathi, and A. R. Rahman’s father R.K.Sekar who was an assistant to Arjunan. Yesudas introduced me to Ilaiyaraja who gave me an opportunity to sing a song for the film Kavikkuil (‘Kadhal Ovium’). It was a semi classical number but did not feature in the film. He gave another song in Gayathri (‘Kalaipani’). My third song was in Johny (‘Oru Inia’). Actor Sridevi lip-synched for all these songs.

I was happy but I was still a kid. I am a Keralite and as I lived in Cochin I was not able to come often to Chennai. I also did not concentrate much on film songs. I was more into stage performances with Dasettan. It was only after marriage that I moved to Chennai and began singing in films.

I can call it my re-entry; my attitude changed. I never thought I would make a come back. But when I did I started concentrating more on playback singing. On my re-entry, I sang in Roja (‘Puthu Vellai’). This song took me to greater heights in my career. I have sung nearly 4,000 songs in all the South Indian languages. I have also sung in Hindi.

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