Kalyani Menon Biography 
Kalyani Menon is an Indian playback singer belonging to south Indian film industry. This veteran artist of the film industry has sung numerous songs for Malayalam and Tamil films. She is associated with playback singing since 1970s, and gained attention and recognition for the first time through "Kanneerin Mazhayathum" for 1977 Malayalam movie, Dweepu. The song was composed by M. S. Baburaj. Most recently her version of the song, "Kaathalae Kaathalae" was heard in Tamil blockbuster, 96 released in 2018. Her voice was heard in year 2000 song, "Alaipayuthey" from the movie with the same name, revived by A. R. Rahman. Noted cinematographer and film director Rajiv Menon is her son.
Kalyani Menon hails from Kerala. She was born on 23 June 1951. She took formal training in classical music from M. R. Sivaraman Nair, and started appearing in music concerts. Playback singing happened only after that. By that time she became an established vocalist of Carnatic music. M. S. Baburaj’s composition, "Kanneerin Mazhayathum" for 1977 Malayalam movie, Dweepu short her to instant fame, and after that she got regular offers from both Malayalam and Tamil film industry. She was also a part of Dhananjayan’s Malayalam dance drama Magdalana Mariyam staged in 1977.
The song "Sevvaaname Ponmegame" from K. Balaji’s Nallathoru Kudumbam (1979) was her first song for Tamil films, and she was given the first break by Ilaiyaraaja. Balaji regularly gave her opportunities in Tamil films in the 1980s, "Nee Varuvaaiyena" from Sujatha (1980), "Thanniya Potta Sandhosham Pirakkum" from Savaal (1981), "Aei Rajave Un Rajathi" from Vazhvey Maayam (1982) and "Vidhi Varaindha Padhai Vazhiye" from Vidhi (1984), a few songs to mention.
Despite singing several songs for Malayalam and Tamil film songs, she never rose to the main league of singers like Janaky or Susheela. But in the 1990s and 2000s, she regularly worked with Rahman. Malayalam verses for Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) is one such. She was seen as Aishwarya Rai’s music tutor in year 2000 film, Kandukondain Kandukondain, a film directed by her son and composed by Rahman. She is married to a naval officer, now retired.
Published: February 03, 2019
Updated: February 03, 2019
