P Jayachandran, an 80-year-old veteran playback singer whose sweet voice won over Malayalis’ hearts for more than 60 years, died on Thursday.
Jayachandran’s lyrical performances throughout his distinguished career encapsulated every emotion, including love, longing, and devotion. He became one of the most renowned voices in Indian cinema by contributing his voice to over 16,000 songs in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi. His songs have an enduring charm that allows them to stay in listeners’ memory for a long time because of his ageless voice and moving performances.
His accomplishments include four Tamil Nadu State Awards, the JC Daniel Award from the Keralan government, the Kalaimamani Award from the Tamil Nadu government, five Kerala State Film Awards, and the coveted National Film Award for Best Playback Singer. His son Dinanathan, who has also established himself in the music profession, daughter Lakshmi, and wife Lalitha survive him.
Ravivarma Kochanian Thamburan of Tripunithura Kovilakam and Subhadrakunjamma of the Paliyam Palace in Chendamangalam were the parents of Jayachandran, who was born in Ernakulam on March 3, 1944. Later, his family relocated to Irinjalakuda to live in the Paliyam home. He experimented with traditional percussion instruments as a child, first learning the chenda and then the mridangam.
His father, a passionate singer and music lover, ignited Jayachandran’s passion for music. He attended Paliyam School in Chendamangalam, Aluva St. Mary’s High School, and Irinjalakuda National High School, where he sang regularly at school and in a local Christian church. He placed first in mridangam and second in light music at the first State School Youth Festival in 1958, but Yesudas took first place in both light and classical music.
Jayachandran briefly worked for a commercial corporation in Madras after earning a degree in Zoology from Christ College, Irinjalakuda. However, his fate was altered when he was invited to sing in Malayalam movie by filmmakers Shobhana Parameswaran Nair and A. Vincent after they heard him sing at a Chennai event. His debut song, “Oru Mullappoomalayumaayi,” was recorded in 1965 for the P. Bhaskaran-penned and Chidambaranath-composed movie Kunhalimarikkar. Despite the delayed release, he was given another chance in the movie Kalithozhan by music director G Devarajan, who was impressed by the song. Jayachandran made his official debut there with the song “Manjalayil Mungi Thorthi,” which went on to become an all-time smash. He never looked back after that, quitting his job to focus on his music career full-time.
When it appeared like Jayachandran was going extinct, he stunned audiences in 1999 by making a triumphant comeback to playback singing after more than ten years away with the song “Prayam Nammil” from the film Niram. For another twenty years after that, he enthralled audiences with his deep voice, continuing to grace the industry.
He developed strong relationships with well-known music composers in Tamil cinema, such as Ilayaraja and AR Rahman, and made a name for himself there.
Manjalayil Mungi Thorthi, Neelagiriyude Sakhikale, Thiruvabharanam Charthi Vidarnnu, Ramsanile Chandrikayo, Karimukil Kaattile, Kevala Marthya Bhasha, Prayam Nammil Moham Nalki, Kallayikadavathe, Enthe Innum Vanneela, and Araraarum Kanaathe are just a few of Jayachandran’s most remembered songs.
With songs like Onnini Sruthi Thazhthi, Jayadeva Kaviyude Geethikal, and Smrithithan Chirakileri Njan, as well as albums like Onninumallathe Enthino Thonniyorishtam, he also made a significant impact in the realm of non-film music.
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