THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The voice that made listeners feel a multitude of emotions blended the comfort of a lullaby and the pain of loss in her last song. S Janaki’s last recorded song in her six-decade-long musical journey soothed the ears of Malayalis through the song ‘Ammappoovinum’, from the film ‘10 Kalpanakal’.
Music director Mithun Eshwar considers every moment of the recording sessions with Janaki Amma precious. Reminiscing his first meeting with the ‘Queen of Musical Expressions’, Mithun said that he, while participating in a programme at Kozhikode with his father, came to know that Janaki Amma was also there to attend the concert. When seeking blessings from her before the event, the young musician had never imagined that he would one day record her voice for a film.
Stepping into his second movie, Mithun suggested Janaki when he learnt that there was a lullaby in the soundtrack. On getting a nod from the filmmaker, an immediate yes from Janaki made Mithun land in a recording studio in Hyderabad.
“We had a harmonium at the studio, and I had the rare opportunity to explain the song to her using that,” he said, recalling what he termed as priceless moments. Mithun still remembers how she would particularly ask the meaning of every word from the lyrics. He recalled Janaki asking,
“For the feeling to be transcended to the audience along with your music and the visuals, I should portray it first, right?”
‘Ammappoovinum’ begins as a family’s love for a baby girl, which later changes into her exploration of the world around her.
“The song, which is introduced as a lullaby at one point, also transforms into the score for a tragic scene. And hence, there is an invisible pain that lingers throughout the song, which Amma rendered almost effortlessly,” he said.
Remembering that not even for a second had she shown any gesture of being celebrated as a ‘Nightingale’ across the country, Mithun said that the polite way in which she mingled with every technician is a rarity among artists today.
“She had no issue in giving me multiple takes for the same song. In fact, when the recording was completed, I was confused to select the final version. She rendered it with such finesse, and I never had to use many effects to make the final version,” he said.
A few of S Janaki’s best songs in Malayalam
Thumbi Vaa (Olangal)
Music: Ilaiyaraaja
Lyrics : O N V Kurup
Mizhiyoram (Manjil Virinja Pookkal)
Music: Jerry Amaldev
Lyrics: Bichu Thirumala
Moham Kondu Njan
(Shesham Kaazhchayil)
Music : Johnson
Lyrics : Konniyoor Bhas
Aadivaa Kaatte (Koodevide)
Music : Johnson
Lyrics : O N V Kurup
Nadha Nee Varum (Chamaram)
Music: M G Radhakrishnan
Lyrics: Poovachal Khadar
Thaliritta Kinakkal (Moodupadam)
Music : M S Baburaj
Lyrics : P Bhaskaran
Kasturimankurunne (Kanamarayathu)
Music : Shyam
Lyrics : Bichu Thirumala
Unarunaroo Unnipoove (Ammaye Kaanaan)
Music: K Raghavan
Lyrics: P Bhaskaran
Thenum Vayambum
(Thenum Vayambum)
Music : Raveendran
Lyrics : Bichu Thirumala
Vasantha Panchami Naalil (Bhargaveenilayam)
Music : M S Baburaj
Lyrics : P Bhaskaran
Aazhakkadalinte (Chandupottu)
Music: Vidyasagar
Lyrics: Vayalar Sarathchandra Varma
