CHENNAI: He is a man who gave playback singing a different dimension. A singer whose songs still find a place in the all time list of Tamil film songs. Legendary singer PB Srinivas is regarded as one of the best singers of all time in the South Indian film industry. But there was a time, when he thought he would not become a playback singer. “An astrologer told me that I wouldn’t enter the film industry at all. But God had given me the opportunity to melt the souls of many,” says the singer as he relaxes at his regular place at New Woodlands Hotel.
PBS’s songs for leading heroes — be it in Tamil, Kannada or Telugu, has no doubt been hits and has made even a non-music lover to listen to his husky yet silky voice with a strong bass. “I have also written songs for many composers including Illayaraja for the Hindi version of Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu. I have written songs in eight languages including Urdu,” says the proud singer as he points out at his bunch of books piled up on the table.
He might have become a popular singer after a few hit songs, but it was appreciation at the early stage of his career that motivated him to become what he is today. “I can never forget the appreciation I got from SS Vasan and AVM Chettiar. Vasan said that even stones would melt if I just hum a tune. Isn’t that enough for an artist to get motivated,” he questions adding that after a long gap, he has sung a song in Aayirathil Oruvan. Even the greatest of the artistes will have a dream. It was when PBS sang a duet song with Lata Mangeshkar that the singer realised his dream. “Even our Susheela and Janaki learnt modulation rendering from Lata,” praised the singer.
‘Melody has gone down’
The singer recalls how his mother was a great inspiration for him besides his mentor Emana Shankara Shastri, a musician at Gemini Studios, while his father didn’t want him to sing for films. “My mother loved me to the core. She used to sing everyday but only at home. She used to say that I should sing in front of her photograph every year for her death anniversary,” he recalls. Having been involved in play back singing and writing songs for decades, PBS finds that melody is being given little importance when compared to his days when melody formed the soul of a song. “Today, the payments might be high but the melody has gone down and the sound is boisterous,” he says adding that almost all of the composers in Tamil film Industry has been a trendsetter. The singer even fondly recalls how he visited the Kodak Theatre in US and when his guide explained him about the Oscar ceremony, he immediately jumped and sat on the nominees’ chair. “That day I prayed to God that an Indian artiste should win an Oscar. And it soon happened with AR Rahman,” he adds.
tejonmayam@epmltd.com
