Potpourri of titbits about cinema - P. Susheela

T. S. Baliah – an excellent performer

P. Susheela continues to remain the unparalleled play-back singer of South Indian films. She has the highest record of having sung more than 10,000 songs. She was born to poet Mukunda Rao – Avuthaaramma in Vijayanagara, Andhra Pradesh. She had acted in school dramas but she had to discontinue her studies with 6th Std. due to the sudden death of her mother. Seeing her interest in music, her father arranged for music tuition by the eminent violinist ‘Dwaram’ Venkatasamy Naidu. After she started giving music concerts she wanted to join Music College and graduate. She came to Chennai for this purpose but she couldn’t join the college. She participated in the Chennai Radio Station programs and proved her talents. She got her first chance as a play-back singer through the Telugu film ‘Kanakathalli’ and in the year 1953, she entered Tamil cinema through her chance to sing for the film ‘Petra thaai’. Her journey of music, flagged off in this year, is continuing even today! She has sung for films of various languages. She has been honored by awards by the governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. She has won the National Award twice. A Telugu television channel is producing her life story in the form of a serial. A staunch devotee of Sai Baba, Susheela produced a serial on Sai Baba and his glory for a television channel. She is helping the poor through her trust and is honoring experts in the field of music with cash awards and citation. Let her service to the music field continue for more and more years!