P. Madhuri Biography 
P. Madhuri is a renowned Indian playback singer of South India who has sung for all south Indian languages. Though she has sung for all South Indian languages including Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu, she was most popular in Malayalam and many great compositions of 1970’s belong to her name. Originally she belongs to a Tamil family of Tiruchirapally, but later introduced to playback singing by Devarajan master through the movie Kadal palam in 1969.
Her introduction to movies was just co-incidence. She was married at the age of 13 and was a mother of kid, when she was only 16. She was a house wife at Chennai at that time, playing as a part of an amateur drama troupe that noted music director of Malayalam happened to watch that program. Devarajan liked her voice and offered a song for his movie Kadal palam. Kadal palam starred Satyan and Sheela in the leading roles. The song offered to her was a female duet song pictured on Jayabharati, Prem Nazar and Adoor Bhavani. The song was well noticed and she got new offers.
It was a time when singers like Susheela and Janaki were ruling Malayalam cinema. Both these singers were not Keralites and detection of Malayalam was a bit different too. But when Madhuri began to sing movies for Malayalam, though she was a Tamilian her Malayalam accent was so clear and it was hard to imagine that she is not a Malayali. Her voice was entirely different from the big names of industry too – Susheela, Leela and Janaki. Music lovers accepted her voice with warm heart and she gave numerous hits to Malayalam. Her voice was most used for the then younger heroine of the industry – Jaya Bharathi, the same heroine for which she sung duet for her debut movie – Kadal palam. Among all songs sung for Jayabharathi, Innenikku pottu kuthan of Guruvayur Kesavan became most popular and this particular song makes us remember ‘Bole re papi haraar’ sung by Vani Jayaram. Surprisingly both these songs were based on same raga.
She has won Kerala state awards twice - Praananaadhanenikku Nalkiya of Enipadikal (1973) and Raakkilikal Paadi of Tharu Oru Janmam Koodi in 1978. Her other popular songs include - Kaattum poyi mazha karum poyi, Kanna aalilakanna, Himashaila Saikatha, Thambran Thoduthathu, Chakravarthini Ninakku, Priyasakhi Gange of Kumarasambhavam, Kalyani Kalavani of Anubhavangal paalichakal, Bhoomiye snehicha of Nee ethra dhanya, Chakkikothoru chankaran title track and Chandrakalabham Charthi.
Published: N/A
Updated: July 10, 2013
