Graceful vibrancy
Give him a stage, and SP Balasubramaniam sets its charging. The Indian singer takes audience interaction to an altogether different high with his sheer energy. Rajeev Nair met him in Dubai
Photograph: Mohammed Rasheed
Indian playback singer SP Balasubramaniam, today, wears a beard; he is readying for a pilgrimage, and has a lot to thank for — the accolades and appreciation he has earned through 39 years of an immensely rewarding music career.
He, now, reads Michael Crichton’s State of Fear — thankfully, he has gotten over his worst of fears. For three months, he had suffered, not knowing what was happening to his vocal chords before eventually braving out a surgery.
India’s high honours have reached him: He is a recipient of the Padmashri award; he has won six national awards for best playback singer. SPB or SP, as he is called, has sung more than 36,000 songs, in many Indian languages cutting through genres. His range is phenomenal; he gets under the skin of the song; and on stage, he rocks. He is an actor too, playing a handful of memorable roles, rubbing shoulders with veterans like Kamal Haasan.
Having celebrated 39 years in the industry, Sripathi Panditharadhyula Balasubramaniam (SPB), who was spotted at a college music contest by Telugu music director S Kodandapani, went on to win national acceptance singing in Hindi for Ek Duje Ke Liye, and at one time, was described as the perfect voice for the Hindi film actor, Salman Khan.
As celebrities go, SPB could easily take the crown for being thoroughly unassuming. In typical South Indian fashion, he addresses you all with a “sir” appended — there was a flourish of “sirs” at his press conference in Dubai to announce the details of his stage-show, Deccan Dreams.
But the media interaction was made memorable for SPB’s anguish at the utter mediocrity that passes off as music in south Indian cinema, today. He lamented on how film songs had lost their lyrical quality, the take-over of mechanical beats, the painful retreat of melody, the lack of “qualified” musicians, and on how the word “variety” was given a different interpretation — in language, diction and music. He wanted the media to call the spade a spade, to rip the musicians apart if they delivered mediocrity. He wanted the industry to nurture true talent and urged young singers to develop individuality.
Yes, he was disturbed with the current trends, and he was mincing no words, reiterating one phrase: “…it’s all so unfortunate.”
Content with his accomplishments, taking each day as its comes, SPB has thought of retiring from the music scene too: But that is only when he will not feel comfortable singing.
But, in the meanwhile, he has many more songs to sing, in many a language…
You have been outspoken about the deterioration in the quality of film music. But looking back now, during the 39 years in the industry, did you have the courage in you to say “No,” to songs that you were not comfortable singing? The ones, you really didn’t like…?
I have rejected many songs but there were two reasons. One is that I didn’t like the standard of the song. Two, there were song that were difficult for me to sing because my knowledge of classical music was little, and they gave me a very complicated composition. True, there were directors who would have taken whatever I gave, however I did, but I have never wanted to get into a shoe that doesn’t fit me…
Your son is producing a film, Mazhai, which is presented by you. As an extension of your demand to the industry to recognise talent and not celebrate mediocrity, do you feel you have put your foot down to make it a really quality product?
Mazhai is directed by Rajkumar, who made a beautiful film last year. It was a healthy family film, which didn’t do well. This time, he is a doing a sensible commercial movie, and it is a remake of a Telugu film.
Will you act in the film too?
I have no role in it.
Are you deliberately keeping away from acting assignments?
Every year, I get at least five to six acting offers but they are not something I enjoy doing. They are mostly the regular numbers, the good father, the great brother… No, I need something different. Even if it is for just two scenes, I want to enjoy thoroughly as a performer. I will act only if I get that kind of roles.
There is no doubt that you put people at ease. Your image too is that of a “jolly good man.” But are you truly a man at peace with yourself?
Yes… I am very happy with whatever has happened to me — professionally and personally. I spent my life by the day; today must be a good day and because of me, it must be good to others too. I have no goals, no burning ambitions. I don’t think to myself that I should go and finish a few thousand songs more, no… I take each day as it comes but I will always be sincere in whatever I do, and enjoy every minute of it.
But do you feel setting no goals is after all a very good idea…?
My only goal is to stop singing when I don’t feel comfortable singing at all. I will stop when my vocal chords are not complementing and I am not doing justice to the compositions of music composers. There is no point in me hanging around at the age of say, 80, singing despite feeling uncomfortable… Why should I do that?
How far or how long do you see yourself being comfortable with the singing?
This is my 39th year as a singer; at least for another four years I will be very comfortable. It all depends on how I keep fit…
Do you follow a regimen to keep your vocal chords primed?
No, nothing at all. I am a dedicated singer but I also enjoy my life. In all my limitations, I don’t keep my vocal chords in such a fashion that I take it out only when necessary…
But wasn’t there a time, when you had to undergo a surgery? Wasn’t the whole episode scary?
Yes, it was a scary feeling, thinking whether I could sing tomorrow or not. For three months, I suffered not knowing exactly what was happening. That is when I learnt there was a nodule that could be removed… Removing it wasn’t scary for me though people advised me against a surgery warning me that I could lose my voice. But what I felt was that instead of not singing at all and keeping quite, I might as well remove it. If I can sing better, well, I will be happy; if not, I will still be happy, I can go out to the industry and say, I am done with… But those three months, when I didn’t know what was happening, I suffered a lot….
Today, what irritates you the most?
Bad music…. and mediocrity being felicitated, applauded and accoladed – that irritates me.
But why is there so much mediocrity?
Why is this question put only to celebrities? Why can’t it be asked to one and all? It is all about a give and take policy.. things have become easier now. Anyone can do anything but even when the audiences have the liberty to pick and choose, when success still comes to some of those truly mediocre ones… well, it is so unfortunate. I guess, you just can’t help it…
February 2005
