K. S. Chithra

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"Chithra" redirects here. For other uses, see Chitra.
K. S. Chithra
File:Wikiksc.jpg
Background information
Birth name Krishnan Nair Shantakumari Chithra
Also known as Chinna Kuyil
Nightingale Of South India
Keralathinte Vanambadi
Born (1963-07-27) 27 July 1963 (age 60)
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Genres Playback singing, Carnatic music, Hindustani music
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1979–present
Labels Audiotracs
Website kschithra.com
FB : KSChithra Official
Twitter : KSChithra
Instagram : KSChithra

Krishnan Nair Shantakumari Chithra, often credited as K. S. Chithra or simply Chithra, is an Indian playback singer from Kerala. Chithra also sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. She has sung in different languages in a following order Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil , Odia, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Badaga, Sanskrit, Tulu, Urdu, Latin, Arabic, Sinhalese and Punjabi languages. She has recorded more than 25,000 songs for various films and albums. She is a recipient of six National Film Awards (the most by any female singer), six Filmfare Awards South and 31 different state film awards. She has won all the four south Indian state film awards.[1]

Chithra is often known as Chinna Kuyil (English: Little Nightingale) or Keralathinte Vanambadi (English: Nightingale of Kerala) or Nightingale of South India.[2]

Early life and family

Born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, into a family of musicians, Chithra's father, the late Krishnan Nair, was also her first guru (teacher). Her elder sister K. S. Beena is also a playback singer.[citation needed] Chithra received her training in Carnatic music from Dr. K. Omanakutty, passed B.A. in music with first class and third rank from the University of Kerala, and completed a master's degree in music.[1] She was selected for the National Talent Search Scholarship from the Central Government from 1978 to 1984.[2] She is married to Vijayashankar, an engineer and businessman and settled in Chennai. Their only daughter, Nandana, died aged eight, in a pool accident in April 2011 in Dubai.[3][4]

Career

Playback singing

Chithra was introduced to Malayalam playback by M. G. Radhakrishnan in 1979 and went on to become a regular singer for many Malayalam musicians, including Raveendran.[1] Attahasam, Snehapoorvam Meera and Njan Ekananu were the first few films in which she recorded her songs.[1] She also performed live concerts with K. J. Yesudas in India and abroad.[1] She worked with music directors including Raveendran, Shyam, Jerry Amaldev, Mohan Sithara, Kannur Rajan and Johnson.[1] She made her debut in the Tamil film industry through the song "Poojaikketha Poovithu" from the film Neethana Antha Kuyil, which was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. She was given the title Chinnakuyil after singing the song "Chinna Kuyil Paadum" from the 1985 released film Poove Poochudava.[1] Director Fazil cast her for this song after Ilaiyaraaja got impressed with her song sung in original version in Malayalam for the film Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu in 1985 directed by himself.

By the mid-1980s, she had recorded many successful songs for composers in Malayalam, and numerous songs for Ilayaraja and others in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. She is the female singer who has sung the maximum number of songs for the Academy Award winning composer A. R. Rahman for his Tamil film songs.[citation needed] She also sang for composers such as G. Devarajan, V. Dakshinamoorthy, M. B. Sreenivasan, M. S. Viswanathan, Ravi (music director), M. G. Radhakrishnan, Johnson, Raveendran, Shyam, Rajan-Nagendra, K. V. Mahadevan, M. M. Keeravani, S. P. Venkatesh, Ouseppachan, Hamsalekha, Deva, Mohan Sithara, Vidyasagar, Bharadhwaj, Chakravarthy, M. Jayachandran, M. G. Sreekumar, Berny-Ignatius, Sharreth, Ramesh Narayan, Deepak Dev, Raj-Koti, S. A. Rajkumar, Mani Sharma, Harris Jayaraj, Devisri Prasad, Yuvan Shankar Raja, G. V. Prakash Kumar, Bijibal, Mejo Joseph, Sejo John, Shahabaz Aman, Alphons Joseph, S. Thaman, Rahul Raj, Gopi Sunder, Ratheesh Vegha, Achu Rajamani, Mickey J Meyer, M. Ghibran and many other south Indian music directors.[5]

She has recorded Hindi songs for music directors in Bollywood, including A. R. Rahman, Anand-Milind, Anu Malik, Rajesh Roshan, Viju Shah, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, R D Burman, Naushad Ali, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Jatin-Lalit, Sandeep Chowta, Vishal, and Sandesh. She also recorded the Hindi versions of her own Tamil songs sung for A. R. Rahman.

She recorded maximum duets with K. J. Yesudas, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, M. G. Sreekumar, Mano (singer) and rare duets with Kannada thespian Dr.Rajkumar, and has sung maximum songs for Ilaiyaraaja, A. R. Rahman, Ravi (music director), M. M. Keeravani, Hamsalekha, Johnson, Raveendran, M. G. Radhakrishnan, Raj-Koti, Deva (music director), Mani Sharma, Sharreth and M. Jayachandran.

Apart from playback singing, she also appeared among the panel of judges in the singing reality television shows at Kerala (Idea Star Singer and Josco Indian Voice),;[6] at Tamil Nadu (Airtel Super Singer Junior),[7] where she also won the award for Best Female Judge and at Andhra Pradesh (MAA TV Super Singer).

Many singers and Music directors like Shreya Ghosal, Shweta Pandit, Chinmayi, Devi Sri Prasad, Mani Sharma called her as their role model .

Studio albums

Chithra recorded her first studio album with Voodoo Rapper for the album called Ragga Raaga in 1993. She recorded the albums in Hindi, Piya Basanti (2000) and Sunset Point. She associated with Ustad Sultan Khan for Piya Basanti which was certified Gold.[8] Sunset Point had eight songs written and narrated by Gulzar and sung by Chithra and Bhupinder.[9] In 2006, she released an album in dedication to M. S. Subbulakshmi named My Tribute. It is a collection of Kritis and bhajans dedicated to Subbulakshmi.[10] In 2009 she released Nightingale: A Salute to Lataji, a musical tribute to Lata Mangeshkar on her 80th birthday.[11] She also recorded many Malayalam albums for K. J. Yesudas, M. Jayachandran and Sharreth compositions. She also planned a ghazal album with Ghulam Ali and Asha Bhosle.[10]

In 2014, Chithra recorded a song at a Singapore studio for A. R. Rahman's private album Raunaq written by Kapil Sibal.[12]

Chithra has established her own recording label, Audiotracs, to promote new artists to collaborate with her as singers, lyricists and music directors.[citation needed]

Philanthropy

K.S. Chithra, 2015

Chithra, along with a Kerala-based satellite channel, Asianet Cable Vision (ACV), jointly launched a fundraising organisation, Sneha Nandana, to raise funds for the welfare of retired musicians who have lost their careers due to changes in the music industry. She launched this organisation on the occasion of her completion of three decades in the music playback industry. She said that the fund would provide help to the musicians with financial impediments and those suffering from health problems.[citation needed] A cultural event named Chitra Pournami was held on 15 February 2011 at Thiruvananthapuram to celebrate the 30th year of her career and also to launch this organisation. Attendees included K. J. Yesudas, V. Dakshinamurthy, Sreekumaran Thampi, P. Susheela, Hariharan, P. Jayachandran, Usha Uthup, M.K. Arjunan, Johnson, Shyam, M. Jayachandran, M. G. Sreekumar, Sharath, Sujatha Mohan, Unni Menon, Srinivas, G. Venugopal, Minmini, and Priyadarshan.[13]

Stage performances

Kschithra.jpg

Chithra has performed in India, the Middle East, Singapore, Malaysia, UK, France, US, Canada, Australia,South Africa,Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Uganda, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Denmark.[citation needed]

Performances outside India

International projects

  • Recorded with the Arab singer Jawad Ali for his album “Amar Ul Hob”[14]
  • Recorded a song for the jazz pianist Herbie Hancock
  • Invited by the Government of China to perform in the Qinghai international water and music festival in Qinghai, China.


Awards, honours and recognition

Awards
Awards Wins
National Film Awards
 6
Kerala State Film Awards
 15
Andhra Pradesh State Film Awards
 9
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
 4
Karnataka State Film Awards
 3
Orissa State Film Awards
 1
Filmfare Awards South
 6
Asianet Film Awards
 7
Mathrubhumi Film Awards
 7
Mirchi Music Awards South
 7
Bollywood Movie Awards
 1
Star Screen Awards
 1
MTV Video Music Award
 1
MTV Immies
 1
Cinema Express Awards
 9
Global Indian Music Academy Awards
 1
Film Fans Association Chennai Award
 20
Gamma Indian Music Award, Malaysia
 4
Other awards
 49
Gulf Malayalam Music Awards(GMMA)
 3
Total
 155

Chithra has won six National Awards for best female playback singer.[15] This is the highest number of national awards awarded to any female playback singer. She has won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer 15 times.[15] She is the only person to win Kerala State Film Awards most number of times in a row (11 times). She has won the following awards:

Civilian Awards:

Special Honour:

National Film Awards:[15]

Filmfare Awards South:

Kerala State Film Awards:

Nandi Awards (Andhra Pradesh State Film Awards):

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards:

  • 1988 – Best Female Playback Singer – multiple films
  • 1990 – Best Female Playback Singer – "Chinna Ponnu Dhaan" (Vaigaasi Porandhaachu)
  • 1995 – Best Female Playback Singer – "Kannalane" (Bombay)
  • 2004 – Best Female Playback Singer – "Ovvoru Pookalume" (Autograph)

Karnataka State Film Awards:

Orissa State Film Awards:

  • 1993 - Best Female Playback Singer - "Band Kothari Band Choraka" (Mo Kanhu Re)

Bollywood Movie Awards:

Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GIMA):

  • 2013 – Best Carnatic Classical Album - Vocal - Album "Vande Vasudevam" an album based on Annamacharya Krithis.[22]

MTV Video Music Award:

  • 2001 – International Viewer's Choice Awards MTV India (Hindi pop category) Album Piya Basanti.(The first singer from South India to get the prestigious MTV Award).

Star Screen Awards:

MTV Immies Awards:

Mirchi Music Awards South:

Asianet Film Awards:

Mathrubhumi Film Awards:

  • 1999 – Best Female Playback – "Thumbayum Thulasiyum" (Megham)
  • 2000 – Best Female Playback – "Varmukile" (Mazha)
  • 2001 – Best Female Playback – "Katte Nee Veesharuthippol" (Kattu Vannu Vilichappol)
  • 2002 – Best Female Playback – "Kaarmukil Varnante" (Nandanam)
  • 2003 – Best Female Playback – "Enthinai Nin Idam Kannin" (Mizhi Randilum)
  • 2008 – Best Female Playback – "Enguninnuvanna " (Calcutta News)
  • 2011 – Best Female Playback – "Chengathir Kaiyum" (Snehaveedu)

Gulf Malayalam Music Awards(GMMA):

  • 2005 - Best Female Playback Singer[14]
  • 2006 - Best Female Playback Singer[14]
  • 2008 - Best Female Playback Singer[14]

Other honours:

Other awards:

  • Cinema Express Awards for 1986, 1987, 1988,1990,1991,1993,1994,1995,1998[14]
  • Film Fans Association Chennai Award – 20 times (This is the oldest film award in South India)[14]
  • Gamma Indian Music Award, Malaysia for 1988,1989,1990,1996[14]
  • 2001 – “For the sake of honour” award from Rotary International[14]
  • 2001 – Lux – Asianet Award for the best playback singer Kannada[14]
  • 2004 – “Vocational excellence” award from Rotary International[14]
  • 2005 – VIRTUSO Music Awards 2005[14]
  • 2006 – Lux – Asianet Award for the best playback singer Kannada[14]
  • 2007 – "Sathyan National Film Award-2007" By Sathyan Foundaion, Thiruvananthapuram.
  • 2007 – Sunfeast Tamil Music Awards for Best Female Playback Singer Award – "Yaaro Yarukkul" (Chennai 600028)
  • 2008 – Devasthanam Award for GANAPRIYA Puraskaram by Peringottukara Devasthanam Temple Trust[27]
  • 2010 – Jai Hind Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer Award – "Kunnathe Konnakyum" (Pazhassiraja)
  • 2010 – Swaralaya – Eenam Award for Decade's Best Talent in Malayalam Music
  • 2010 – South Scope Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer Award – "Kunnathe Konnakyum" (Pazhassiraja)
  • 2011 – Lata Mangeshkar Award (2011)
  • 2012 – Thikkurissy Award for Best Female Playback Singer – "Naattuvazhiyorathe" (Khaddama)[28]
  • 2013 – CineMAA Awards for Best Duet Song – "Nee Choopule" with Haricharan (Endukante... Premanta!, Telugu Film )
  • 2013 – K P Brhamanandan Memorial Awards for Best Female Singer (2013)
  • 2013 – ETV Kannada Sangeet Samman (P. B. Sreenivas) Award[29]
  • 2013 – Asiavision Awards-2013 for Best Female Playback - "Ilaveyil Viralukalayi" (Artist)
  • 2013 – CERA BIG Malayalam Music Awards for Best Female Playback - "Ilaveyil Viralukalayi" (Artist) and "Ponnodu Poovay" (Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty)[30]
  • 2013 – CERA Big Malayalam Music Awards for Face of the Award - Honoured for completing three decades in the industry[30]
  • 2014 – Minimol Memorial Charitable Trust - Sathkeerthi Puraskaram[31]
  • 2014 – Mappila Kala Academy in memory of K Raghavan Master - Sangeetha Ratnam Puraskaram for her contribution to film industry[32]
  • 2014 – K.P. Radhakrishna Menon memorial Kala Ratna Award for her outstanding contributions to music.[33]
  • 2014 – STAR Vijay Vijay Television Awards 2014 Favourite Judge Female for Airtel Super Singer
  • 2014 – Prasasthi Award of Excellence 2014 by Rotary International District Vacational Service Alappuzha
  • 2015 – Kerala Women In Cinema Award 2015 by Rashtra Deepika Cinema and Kerala State Women's Development Corporation For Best Singer Category
  • 2015 – CineMAA Awards 2015 Awards for Best Female Playback Singer Award – "Gopikamma" (Mukunda)
  • 2015 – K.P.S Menon Memorial Award 2015 by Chettoor Sankaran Nair Memorial Trust,Ottapalam. [34]
  • 2015 – Harmony International Award 2015 instituted by Marthoma Research Academy, Azhikode, Kodungallur. [35]
  • 2015 – Asiavision Awards 2015 for Best Female Playback Tamil- "Malargal Kaettaen" (OK Kanmani) .[36]
  • 2016 – Dakshinamoorthy Sangeetha Ganendhuchooda Puraskaram, Vaikom

Other achievements

  • She has also been honoured with the Swaralaya Yesudas Award in 2004, Kalaiselvam title from the South Indian Nadigar Sangam in 2002, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Global Malayalee Council in London in 2003.
  • She has also received numerous mainstream awards like MTV Immies, Screen – Videocon Award, Film Fans Association Awards, and Cinema Express Awards. Chithra was also awarded the 'Vocational Excellence' Award by the Rotary Club of Coimbatore.[8]
  • In 2010, she received the C. Cheriyan Memorial Award by Cochin Fine Arts Society, Swaralaya – Eenam Award for Best Female Singer and Chakkulathamma Swaravarsha Award.
  • Her song "Kannalane (Kehna Hi Kya)" from the film Bombay (1995) was included in The Guardian's "1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear" list.[37]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ "KS Chithra's daughter reportedly drowned and died in Emirates Hills pool". Emirates247.com. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ [1] Archived 23 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ [2] Archived 6 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Somro ’15: A new experience for music lovers
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWr5AKWfxoY
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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