Mahalakshmi Iyer sang several songs with the late S P Balasubrahmanyam and also went on concert tours with the legend.
Can you tell us about your first experience singing with S P Balasubrahmanyam?
Velli Malare was my first song in Tamil with SPB Sir. We didn't record it together. I had recorded my portions and later, he did it in (A R) Rahman sir's studio. I was not even aware of who was singing the male portions.
I had recorded some other songs for Rahman sir, and the next day when I went back to the studio, he asked me to record one more song. This was Velli Malare. I sang it and came back.
Only when it was on the verge of release did I realise that I had sung with SPB sir.
So there was absolutely no interaction with SPB at that time...
No, not at all.
Subsequently, you sang other songs with him. You also sang the Telugu song Chilakamma...
Yes. I also sang Kaathal Aararo in Tamil and a couple of more Telugu songs.
Unfortunately, I never met SPB sir during any of the recordings of the songs I had sung with him.
My first-ever meeting of SPB sir is crystal clear. The first song I recorded for a Tamil film was Poonthottam for Raja sir (Ilayaraja).
Raja sir called me to Chennai. I was sitting alone in the monitor room. Suddenly, Raja sir walked in with the producers and musicians and they chatted with each other.
When I introduced myself to Raja sir, he said, of course I know you, that's why I called you. We had done a Hindi song in Mumbai for the Miss World pageant, organised by ABCL. I was stunned.
Then Raja sir looked beyond the monitor room into the recording booth and spoke to someone. I turned and saw SPB sir standing before the mike ready to record. They spoke in Telugu as they had to record a Telugu song.
SPB sir recorded in less than 20 minutes, like a breeze. For me, that was even more nerve-racking. I saw the kind of precision and singing in SPB sir as he finished the song. Then he came and chatted with Raja sir.
Everyone left and I was sitting in the studio absolutely gobsmacked - this is the level of singing. It was unbelievable.
You didn't really interact with him at that point at all?
No. Like anybody else, I was just sitting there, looking at him. I couldn't even muster up the courage to go across and introduce myself. It all happened in a flash. That's how I remember SPB sir.
I think on A R Rahman's tour you sang with SPB sir...
Yes, that was when I first met him a few years later. I saw him in
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Legendary singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, who had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai after testing positive for COVID-19 during the first week of August, passed away today after a long battle with the coronavirus.
On August 5, SPB, as he was fondly called, announced through a video recording, which he posted on his Facebook page, that he had tested positive for COVID-19, and had gotten admitted in a hospital. He had then remarked that he was getting admitted mostly "to take rest". "I am in good health. Nobody has to worry about this one, so please don’t bother to call me to find out how I am,” he had said in the video, and added, "I am having a little discomfort, some congestion in the chest, which, for a singer, is nonsense. And fever on and off. Otherwise, I don’t have any problem. But I don’t want to take it easy so I came to the hospital to get checked.”
While his health had deteriorated during the second week in hospital, he was gradually making progress, with his son, SP Charan diligently updating on his health status. In fact, Charan's last update, on September 22, said he was making steady progress even though he was on Ecmo/ventilator, and was eager to leave the hospital.
Unfortunately, the acclaimed singer's health deteriorated in the last 24 hours and he passed away a few minutes ago, today.
SPB, who made his singing debut in 1966 with the Telugu film Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna, was the most prolific singer the country has ever seen.
Though he recorded his first tamil song for MS Viswanathan for the unreleased film Hotel Ramba, his Tamil breakthrough came in 1969, in the form of Aayiram Nilave Vaa, composed by KV Mahadevan for MGR's Adimai Penn. Iyarkkai Ennum Ilayakanni from Shanti Nilayam (which he had recorded even before Adimai Penn) released in the same year, and there was no looking back for the young singer. He soon became the sought-after singer across industries. His association with MSV and maestro Ilaiyaraaja cemented his status as a legend even in the 1980s. In 1981, he recorded 21 songs on a single day, a record that hasn't been broken yet (and might not be ever), which is a testament to his prolific singing career.
He also was an admired character actor, earning praise for his effortless performances in films like Manathil Uruthi Vendum, Thiruda Thiruda, Kadhalan, Minsara Kanavu, and Moone Moonu Varthai. He also played the leads in films like Keladi Kanmani and Sigaram. He was also a voice actor, dubbing
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