P. Jayachandran – soulful rendition that made every song a hit

P. Jayachandran, Kerala's gift to Tamil film music, sang timeless hits for legends like M.S. Viswanathan and Illayaraaja.

Veteran playback singer P. Jayachandran, who died on Thursday, was Kerala’s gift to Tamil film music. He was introduced to the Tamil film world by late music director M.S. Viswanathan, and he rendered his first song for the film Manipayal in 1972. He had a unique voice, a mixture of Yesudas and S.P. Balasubramanian, but charted his own path and went on to sing some of the best solo and duet numbers in Tamil films, but without a trace of Malayalam, his mother tongue, in his Tamil songs.

He even rendered a song for late Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran in the latter’s last film, Maduraiyai Meeta Sundarapandian in 1978. The song, Amutha Tamizhilil Ezhuthm Kavithai in pure Dwijavanthi raga, is still considered an outstanding duet.

Late Balu Mahendra’s first film Azhiyatha Kolangal introduced the greatness of Salil Chowdhry’s composition to Tamil audiences and Jayachandran further elevated the film with his rendition of the song Poo Vannam Pola Nenjam. The song Kalidasan Kannadasan made Silk Smitha even more beautiful in the film Soorakottai Singakutti.

Though he sang for all the heroes in the Tamil industry, there seemed to be a special chemistry between Jayachandran and late actor and founder of DMDK Vijayakanth. In Vaidhehi Kaathirundhaal, a film that skyrocketed Vijayakanth’s fame, the credit should go to music director Illayaraaja and Jayachandran who rendered three evergreen songs -- Rasathi Onna Kaanatha Nenju, Intraikku En Intha Ananthame and Kaathirunthu Kaathirunthu.

Poova Eduthu Oru Maalai Thoduthu Vachene En Chinna Rasa in the film Amman Kovil Kizhakale, Mayanginen Solla Thayanginen in the film Naane Raja Naane Manthiri, Vizhiye Vilakkondru Etru and Onna Renda in the film Thazhuvatha Kaigal are three other great songs in Vijayakant films.

Both M.S. Viswanthan and Illayaraaja utilised his talent to the full. In an interview with Vamanan, historian of Tamil film music, Jayachandran had rated Viswanathan as the number one composer. “He sings from the heart. It is a flow. It flows like a river,” Mr Vamanan had recorded Jayachandran as saying in his book Thirai Isai Alaigal–Volume 5.

Viswanathan recorded two brilliant songs–Vasanthakala Nathigalile and Aadi Velli Thei Unnai Naan Adaintha Neram–in the film Moondru Mudichu, which both Rajinikant and Kamal Haasan starred in.