Latha Raju

Latha Raju Biography

Latha Raju is a famous playback singer, dubbing artist and character artist associated with Malayalam cinema in the 1960s and 1970s. She is best remembered as a child playback singer for the song – Manja Kili Swarna Kili for the movie, Sethu bandhanam, pictured on Baby Sumathi. 'Ividuthe chechikkinnale' (Azhakulla Saleena),'Chippee Chippee muthuchippee' (Aranaazhikaneram), and 'Aaluvaappuzhakkakkareyoru ponnambalam' ('Aadyathe Kadha') are other notable songs. Apart from Malayalam, she has also done some Tamil, Kannada and Tulu and has worked as a dubbing artist for Shobha, Suhasini, Shobhana etc. She also appeared as a child artist in the Malayalam legendary movie – Chemmeen. She has completed golden jubilee in the film industry.

Latha is the daughter of famous playback singer - Santha P. Nair, best remembered for the song ‘Nazhiyoori Paalu Kond Naadake Kalyanam’. Her father K. Padmanabhan Nair was a famous scriptwriter and filmmaker during 1960s. She has no siblings. She is married to music composer - J. M. Raju and the couple has two children, Aalap Raju and Anupama. Their son Aalap Raju is also a playback singer.

1962 Malayalam film 'Snehadeepam' was her first recorded song. She used to assist her mother in the recording studios and music director M B Sreenivasan heard her rendering of a popular Mukesh song. That’s how she got her first song.  In the early 1970s she became a busy star of Malayalam cinema, and also appeared as a child artist. She was only 12, when she was casted as Panchami, Sheela’s younger sister for the movie – Chemmeen. Latha left an indelible image with her portrayal of the little girl who finds herself all alone in the world, along with the small baby who became an orphan.

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Updated: November 29, 2015