Prolific voice of Indian melodies

Wearing a white N95 mask, S P Balasubrahmanyam (or SPB, as he was often called) walked on to a quiet platform on July 18 and folded his gloved hands bowing to a virtual audience before bowing thrice to greet the orchestra. He pulled down his mask to check the mic in what would be his swan song at a concert to raise funds for those affected by Covid-19. “Corona is a curse for all our wrongdoings,” he said at the end of the concert. “We have destroyed nature. We are handing over a graveyard for our future generations. We have to undergo its consequences.”

On August 5, SPB, 74, tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to MGM Healthcare in Chennai. His condition deteriorated and he was shifted to the ICU on August 13 and put on a ventilator and an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). Though he tested negative on September 4, he continued to be on life support and died of cardio-respiratory failure on September 25 at 1.04 pm. During his time in hospital, long-time collaborator, friend and music director Ilaiyaraaja sent a message in Tamil that said, simply, “Get up and come soon, Balu.”

A separate ICU room was created for SPB and his son, S P Charan played the video messages. Dr Deepak Subramanian, senior consultant at MGM. told HT, “Only for Ilayaraaja’s video, he told Charan to come closer, replay the video and he kissed the phone.”

Born in Konetammapeta village (in present day Andhra Pradesh) in 1946, SPB had no formal training in classical music. His father, SP Sambamurthy was a Harikatha (a popular form of storytelling on themes from epics) exponent. He was spotted by popular Telugu composer SP Kodandapani after SPB won a singing competition in the early 60s.

He made his debut in playback singing in 1967 in a Telugu movie Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna. That was the start of SPB’s colossal career spanning five decades and 40,000 songs in 16 languages while straddling Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films.

SPB idolised singer Mohammed Rafi. In a television show, SPB spoke of how Rafi’s Dewaana Hua Badal (Kashmir Ki Kali, 1964) moved him to tears. “You can see that the man is coming to your ears and caressing and singing with a smile,” SPB said.

SPB won the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011. He was also Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand’s first sponsor in 1983. A cricket fan, SPB watched IPL in hospital. He was homesick after his wife visited him and asked the doctors (via a note) if the ICU could be set up at home but understood when the doctors explained his critical situation. “But, he was never scared,” said Subramanian.

At his last virtual concert, SPB said in the future it seemed like his musical relationship with his audience will be virtual. “I’m grateful; for you have travelled along with me for all these 55 years.”

“Pedananna (uncle in Telugu) was happiest when he was immersed in music,” SPB’s nephew, SP Abhishek, a music composer and voice artist told HT. “Whether it is a 3-year-old girl or a nonagenarian singing, he will enjoy their music and he is so kind to everyone.” After Abhishek’s father (SP Jagadish) passed away in 2012, SPB offered to record all his songs in their studio.

SPB was known to prefer audio notes over messaging on WhatsApp. He sang a wish for birthdays or told relatives to stay safe during the pandemic in his voice recordings.

SPB’s family organised a condolence meeting on September 30 where his songs were performed and the film fraternity eulogised him. “It was too painful to listen to his voice while I was preparing to perform.” Abhishek said.

“I miss him.”

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