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 It took her a while to shed the little girl image, especially among Malayali music lovers to whom she was their very own ‘Baby’
Sujatha. The picture of the tiny tot standing beside K J Jesudas, matching him line for line in the romantic melodies of the day is a sight not many would have forgotten. Today, Sujatha Mohan is the one of the leading playback singers in south India. Yet there has been no change in the trademark smile or the pleasant, ready-for-a-laugh attitude.
Hailing from a family that is deeply interested in music, she ventured into playback singing when she was in Class VI, for a Malayalam film -- a song by M K
Arjunan. Having lost her father at the age of two, it was not possible for her mother to bring her from Kochi to Chennai for recordings and she lost out on a lot of opportunities. Her marriage to Dr Krishna Mohan brought her to
Chennai. She made use of her sabbatical from playback singing to learn Hindustani music.
|
Hit Songs of Sujatha |
Film |
| Un
Azhagukku |
Aalavandhan |
| Solai Kuyil |
Aanandha Poonkatrae |
| Shock Adikuthu |
Aasai |
| Vaadi Vaadi Naatu |
Alli Thandha Vaanam |
| Gokulathu Radhai |
Anandham |
| Kadhal Oru |
Asai Asaiyay |
| Kadhala Kadhala |
Avvai Shanmukhi |
| Maya Maya |
Baba |
| Un Samayal Arayil |
Dhill |
| Aasai Aasai |
Dhool |
| Desing Raja |
Dumm Dumm Dumm |
| Ra Ra Rajakumara |
Ennavale |
| Karisakaattu Kuyile |
Era Nilam |
| Thiruda Thiruda |
Five Star |
| Manjal Poosum |
Friends |
| En Veetu Thotathil |
Gentleman |
| Inni Naanum Naan Illai (Srinivas) |
Hey! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke |
| Ini Achcham Achcham Illai |
Indira |
| Pazhaya Kural |
Iyarkai |
| Poovukul |
Jeans |
| A Kannukkulla Kannamma |
Kadhal Kavithai |
| Nenjodu |
Kadhal Kondaen |
| Megathil Ondrai Nindrom |
Kadhal Sadugudu |
| Sundari |
Kannathil Muthamittal |
| Thuli Thuli Mazhaithuli |
Kannukku Kannaga |
| Kadhalagi Kadhalagi |
King |
| Athankara Marame |
Kizhakku Cheemayilae |
| Lady Don't |
Little John |
| Paadava Paadava |
Little John |
| Nilaave Vaan Nilaave |
Maayi |
| Poo Pookum Osai |
Minsara Kanavu |
| Un Per Solla |
Minsara Kanna |
| Thilana Thilana |
Muthu |
| Thirumaangalaya Dharunam |
Nala Dhamayanthi |
| Adhikalai |
Nee Varuvai Ena |
| Adhisaya Thirumanam |
Paarthale Paravasam |
| Sakalakala |
Pammal K Sambantham |
| Dolna Dolna |
Parasuram |
| Muppadhu Nimidam |
Parasuram |
| Irava Pagala |
Poovellam Kettupar |
| Chella Namm Veetukku |
Poovellam Un Vaasam |
| Vasco da Gama |
Piriyadha Varam Vendum |
| Maankutty Maankutty |
Priyamana Thozhi |
| Idhu Thaan Kadhal |
Pudhiya Mugam |
| Chandiranai Thotadhu Yaar |
Ratchagan |
| Pudhu Vellai Mazhai |
Roja |
| Kadhal Pisase |
Run |
| Mudhal Murai |
Sangamam |
| Kilakku Sivakiyile |
Seevalaperi Pandi |
| May Maadham |
Shahjahan |
| Radhai Manadhil |
Snehithiye |
| Rasika Rasika |
Star |
| Chalakku Chalakku |
Suryavamsam |
| Sotta Sotta |
Taj Mahal |
| Aalangati |
Tenali |
| Silendra Theepori |
Thithikuthe |
| Kadhal Needhana |
Time |
| Kavithaigal Sollava |
Ullam Kollai Poguthae |
| Chittu Chittu Kuruvi |
Ullathai Alli Thaa |
| Vaan Mazhai |
University |
| Sil Sil Silalala |
Unnai Ninaithu |
| Neethana Neethana |
Unnai Thedi |
| Edho Oru Paatu |
Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen |
| Malligai Poove Malligai Poove |
Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen |
| Pachaikili Pachaikili |
Ussele Ussele |
| En Uyire |
Uyire |
| Vaanil Vennila |
Vaanathapolae |
| Thappu Thanda |
Villain |
| Aagayam Pookal |
Vinnukkum Mannukkum |
| Unakenna Unakenna (Duet) |
Vinnukkum Mannukkum |
| Naan Thediya Kavidhai |
Yengae Enadhu Kavidhai |
| One Inche |
Youth |
 Sujatha’s first Tamil song, for
Ilayaraja, was in the film 'Kavikkuyil'. But the song 'Kaadhal Oviyam Kandein' was not included in the film when it was released. “That is considered good luck
(raasi) here”, she says with a smile. Her big break in Tamil came, of course, via A R
Rahman, with the song 'Puthu Vellai Mazhai' in 'Roja'. It became a big hit, to be followed by many others.
An established singer now in Tamil, it would probably be more apt to ask her which film she has not sung for. “Not in ‘Boys’,” she says promptly of Shankar's forthcoming film, which has music by A R
Rahman. ‘Run’, ‘Dhool’, ‘Nala Damayanthi’, ‘Priyamana Thozhi’, ‘Thithikkuthey’… the list of hit songs goes on…
For one who claims she does not know much about the Internet, the ‘Maya Maya…’ song in ‘Baba’ was quite an experience. Rahman sent the tune over the Internet from London while she and singer Karthik were in his studio going through Vaali’s lyrics, she recollects. Once the recording was done, Rahman returned it from London with the corrections. Rahman was so impressed with the song that he asked her to sing the Telugu version also.
She is grateful to the all the music directors who gave her work in Tamil like Ilayaraja, A R Rahman, Deva, Vidyasagar, S A Rajkumar, Karthik Raja, Bharadwaj, Mani Sharma, V S Narasimhan, Sabesh-Murali, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Iman, Dina, Ramesh Vinayagam, Sirpee and
Adityan.
It was noted director Priyadarshan who brought her back to playback singing with the Malayalam film
'Chitram', the musical super-hit starring Mohanlal. And there has been no looking back since. Thanks to
Ouseppachan, Ravindran, Vidyasagar, Johnson, Mohan Sitara, M G Radhakrishnan, Bernie
Ignacius, S P Venkatesh, Kaithappuram Viswanathan, Deepak Dev, Jayachandran and Alphonse.
 She has sung in all the four south Indian languages and her Hindi numbers in films like ‘Pukaar’ and ‘Taal’ have topped the charts. Music directors
Keeravani, Koti, R P Patnaik and Chakri have been responsible for her getting noticed in Telugu films.
Sujatha has won the Kerala state award twice, the Tamil Nadu state award twice, the Asianet award twice, the Film Critics award 11 times, the Cinema Express award and the Dinakaran award. With over 5,000 songs to her credit, this is hardly a surprise.
Sujatha, who has done 3,200 shows with
Jesudas, has travelled all over the world. But it is indeed ironic that she prefers to browse travel sites, read books on travel or see the places on TV! Her hobbies include light reading, cooking and listening to music. And among her recent songs, she likes Aasai Aasai
(Dhool), Mallikayae Mallikayae (Arasu), Maankuttiye (Priyamana Thozhi), Nenjodu
(Kadhal Kondein) and
Thithikkuthe… (Thithikkuthe).
She attributes her success to the support from her family. Her mother
Lakshmi, who has been a tower of strength, an encouraging husband, Mohan, who accompanies her for programmes and daughter
Shweta, who hardly complains despite long periods of absence from home.
It had been her father’s wish that she should become a doctor and if he had been alive, that’s what Sujatha would have been. But then the world of music would have lost a star!
Brought to you
by:
Institute of Management Education & Training (P) Ltd
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