His voice lives on

If Kannada thespian Rajkumar were alive today, he would have turned 87. But he remains immortalised through not only his films, but even the songs he sang.

His songs “Jenina Holeyo Halina Maleyo” and “Huttidare Kannada Nadalli Huttabeku” have gained the status of unofficial state anthems. The legend has sung thousands of songs with ease, élan and elegance, which only a few could match.

Muthuraj, who came to be known as Rajkumar in films, was no stranger to music right from his childhood. Music and acting ran in his blood. He was the son of theatre person Singanallur Puttaswamaiah. He followed his father’s footsteps and started acting in plays. In those days, actors had to sing live in plays.

When he joined the Gubbi Theatre Company and other professional theatre companies, Rajkumar trained in classical music like most actors. In fact, he was famous as a good actor-singer much before he entered films.

His debut song was the duet “Thumbithu Manava Thandithu Sukhava” with S Janaki for the film Mahishasura Mardini (1959), under the music direction of G K Venkatesh. Owing to many reasons, including the time and focus needed in acting, his singing career did not take off then.

Until 1974, P B Srinivas was Rajkumar’s voice in films. But with the song “Yaare Koogadali”, the star began his journey as the single-most famous actor-singer that the Kannada film industry has ever seen.

Rajkumar’s voice has the smoothness and depth similar to P B Srinivas. Moreover, his voice was capable of greater vivacity, particularly noticeable in songs like “Thai Thai Thai Bangari” (Giri Kanye, 1977), the title song of “Nanna Neenu Gellalare” and “Le le Appana Magale” (Trimurthi) and “Aradhisuve Madanari” (Babruvahana).

Revered as annavru (brother), Rajkumar was adept at rendering his voice to different moods — romantic, sentimental, devotional and semi-classical. Songs about Kannada language and culture such as “Jenina Holeyo Halina Maleyo” (Haalu Jenu), “Maanavanagi Huttidmele” (Jeevana Chaitra) and “Huttidare Kannada Nadalli Huttabeku” (Akasmika) have been immensely popular.

G K Venkatesh, who introduced him as a singer, composed some of the most memorable songs for Rajkumar in films like Mayura and Huliya Haalina Mevu. Other composers like Rajan Nagendra, T G Lingappa, M Rangarao, Upendra Kumar (who composed music for most films produced under the actor-singer’s home banners), Ilayaraja and Hamsalekha have also composed songs for him.

He has sung with almost all of his famous contemporaries like S Janaki, Vani Jayaram, P Susheela, Kasthuri Shankar, Sulochana, B R Chaya, Bengaluru Latha, Rathnamala Prakash, P B Srinivas, S P Balasubrahmanyam, Manjula Gururaj and Chitra.

Rajkumar and P B Srinivas rendered their voices to some memorable numbers including “Amma Neenu Namagagi” (Keralida Simha), “Ninnee Naguve Arunodayavu” (Adhey Kannu) and the famous war song “Yaru Thiliyaru Ninna” between Arjuna and Babruvahana (incidentally both roles were played by Rajkumar himself).

Srinivas’s heroic voice for Arjuna was equally matched by Rajkumar’s youthful dominant voice for Babruvahana with a forceful tone. Their voices are unparalleled, distinct and a class apart in this song. The last lines of the song “Anthakanigoo anthakanu ee Babruvahana” mesmerises the listener and its tempo reminds of a sound theatrical background.

Rajkumar had a long association with veteran lyricist Chi Udayashankar and music composer Upendra Kumar. In fact, Udayashankar contributed to Rajkumar’s musical popularity by penning lucid lyrics in most of his films. Rajkumar’s musical success spurred the growth of Kannada cassette industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Interestingly, the first Kannada film song CD, released by Sangetha Cassettes, contained songs of his two films — Jeevana Chaitra (1992) and Odahuttidavaru (1994).

Rajkumar has also rendered his voice for theme or title songs of the films of other actors. One of his earliest theme songs for the film Dharma (“Sathya Dharmagale Sripada Kamalagalu”). In the later part of his career, he sang many numbers in Ranaranga (1989), Ashwamedha (1990), Hrudaya Haadithu (1990), Hoovu Hannu (1993), Saptapadi (1994), Karulina Kudi (1996), Janumada Jodi (1996) and Abhi (2003).

His songs, rendered in tenorish high-pitch voice, including the title songs of Ashwamedha, Hridaya Haadithu, Megha male and Saptapadi are quite impressive. He has even sung a complete English song in one of his Bond films. Interestingly, he has lent voice for S P Balasubrahmanyam in Muddina Mava (1994).

“Nadamaya”, a semi-classical song rendered in Raga Thodi, from Jeevana Chaitra, won him the National Award for best playback singing. The song proves his versatility as a singer, with its complex graces as it progresses with other ragas. He won the Karnataka state award for best song for Akasmika and Arishina Kunkuma.

He switched between ragas with ease and sang swara patterns particularly well in the songs including “Megha Banthu Megha” (Mannina Dodi), “Hoomale Hoomale” (Hoomale) and “Januma Jodi Adaroo” (Janumada Jodi). His rendering of Kalidasa’s shlokas in Kavirathna Kalidasa is simply sublime. No wonder his fans called him Ganagandharva (singing demigod). His songs for devotional albums of Raghavendra Swamy, Sringeri Sharade and other gods were also immensely popular.