S.P.Balasubrahmanyam
1946 - 2020
Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam, also referred to as S. P. B. or Balu, was a veteran Indian musician, playback singer, television anchor, music director, actor, dubbing artist, and film producer who worked predominantly in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam films.
Career
- 1960s - 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s - 2020
- Voice Acting
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Balasubrahmanyam made his debut as a playback singer on 15 December 1966 with Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna, a Telugu
film scored by his mentor, S. P. Kodandapani.The first non-Telugu song that he recorded just eight days
after his debut Telugu song was in Kannada in 1966 for the film Nakkare Ade Swarga, starring Kannada comedy stalwart
T. R. Narasimharaju.He recorded his first Tamil song Athaanodu Ippadi Irundhu Eththanai Naalaachu, a duet
with L. R. Eswari under the musical direction of M. S. Viswanathan for the film Hotel Ramba
Other early songs he sang were duets with P. Susheela, Iyarkai Ennum Ilaya Kanni in the 1969 film Shanti Nilayam,
starring Gemini Ganesh, and Aayiram Nilavae Vaa for M. G. Ramachandran in Adimaippenn. His first song with S. Janaki
was Pournami Nilavil Pani Vizhum Iravil in Kannippenn. He was then introduced to the Malayalam film industry by
G. Devarajan in the film Kadalppalam.
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Balasubrahmanyam came to international prominence with the 1980 film Sankarabharanam.The film is considered to be one of the best films ever to emerge from the Telugu film industry.Directed by K. Vishwanath, the film's soundtrack was composed by K.V. Mahadevan, and led to an increase in the usage of Carnatic music in Telugu cinema. Not a classically trained singer, he used a "film music" aesthetic in recording the songs.Balasubrahmanyam received his first National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for his work. His first work in Hindi films was in the following year, in Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), for which he received another National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer.
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In the 1990s, he worked with composers such as Vidyasagar, M. M. Keeravani, Hamsalekha, S. A. Rajkumar and Deva among others, but his association with A.R.Rahman turned out be a major success. Balasubrahmanyam recorded three songs for A. R. Rahman in the latter's debut film Roja. He had a long-time association with Rahman right from Roja. Other popular songs include July Maadham from Pudhiya Mugam, which also marked the debut of singer Anupama, Mannoothu Manthayilae from Kizhakku Cheemayile which was a folk number and he almost sang all songs in the musical love story Duet and Thanga Thaamarai from Minsara Kanavu which fetched him, the sixth and latest of his National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer to date.
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In 2013, Balasubrahmanyam recorded the title song for Chennai Express, singing for the lead actor Shahrukh Khan, under the music
direction of Vishal-Shekhar, breaking his 15-year hiatus from Hindi cinema music.
In May 2020, SPB crooned a song on humanity titled Bharath Bhoomi which was composed by Ilaiyaraaja as a tribute to the people such as police,
doctors, nurses and janitors who have been significantly working amid COVID-19 pandemic.The video song was officially unveiled by Ilaiyaraaja
through his official YouTube account on 30 May 2020 in both Tamil and Hindi languages.
Balasubrahmanyam accidentally became a dubbing artist with K. Balachander's film Manmadha Leela, the dubbed Telugu version of Manmadha Leelai, providing voice-over for Kamal Haasan.He has also provided voice-overs for various artists, including Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Vishnuvardhan, Salman Khan, K. Bhagyaraj, Mohan, Anil Kapoor, Girish Karnad, Gemini Ganesan, Arjun Sarja, Nagesh, Karthik, and Raghuvaran in various languages.