Singer Kapil Kapilan is on a musical high with hit songs in multiple languages
The Hindu
Singer Kapil Kapilan has hits in all South Indian languages
2023 is winding up on a high note for Kapil Kapilan — he won the Kerala State Film Award for best singer, has chartbusters in all the South Indian languages, and is one of the artistes chosen for the new season of Coke Studio Tamil, Idhu Semma Vibe.
“It is a huge thing for a singer to get noticeable songs in multiple languages at the same time. Even if a song is good, we singers know that it will reach the audience only if the film does well. In my case, the films have been appreciated. So it is a blessing,” says Kapil over the phone, from Chennai.
He has sung in over 25 films this year and had trending songs in Malayalam (‘Neela nilave’, RDX), Kannada (title track of Sapta Sagaradaache Ello – Side A), Telugu (‘Nuvvu Navvukuntu’, MAD) and Tamil (‘Yaarum kaanadha’, Fight Club).
Kapil, who belongs to Kottarakkara in Kollam district, says that the win at the State Film Awards for the track, ‘Kanave’ from Pallotty 90s’ Kids has given him more opportunities in Malayalam. “The composer [Manikandan Ayyappa] and director [Jithin Raj] wanted to associate with me and that’s how this song happened. I sang the track by watching the trailer,” says Kapil. The film has not been released yet.
The humungous hit in his filmography is ‘Neela nilave’ composed by Sam CS. The video of the vibrant number has clocked over 75 million views on YouTube. “RDX had a great run at the box office and that helped the video to get noticed. I had gone to record a song for Sam in his studio a couple of years ago. Since his studio was being renovated, we worked in my home studio and this was one of the many songs we recorded back then,” he says.
Another hit in his kitty has been the title song of the critically-acclaimed romantic drama, Sagaradaache Ello – Side A composed by Charan Raj. Although he has sung in Kannada before, this track has been the most loved of the lot. Besides the original, he has sung its dubbed versions in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi.
Kapil adds that he was confident about the song being loved while recording it. “One reason was that Rakshit Shetty [who played the lead] has fans across the languages, including Malayalam, and therefore the film was expected to get a better reach. Charan has used modern synth wave production, which is popular with the listeners thesedays. It has a beautiful blend of semi-classical and pop flavour,” he points out.
Kochi News:Watch: Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025 opens across 22 venues
Sustainability is not an add-on, but stamped firmly into the process: every piece is biodegradable, waste-free and unembellished, free from glitter or beads. “Products should be sustainable and biodegradable so that our planet is not harmed,” says Anu Elizabeth Alexander, a student of Sishya, Adyar. At a recent exhibition, the stars she made sold the fastest, followed by the small diamonds. “I would like people to know about the process, how it is created, and that it is sustainable,” says Anu. Infanta Leon from Kotturpuram developed an interest in crochet as a teenager. It was a hobbyhorse that evolved into a steed that would help her embark on a journey of identity-shaping creative engagement. She started making Christmas-themed decor two years ago, spurred by a desire to craft safe, eco-friendly toys for children. “With a toddler at home, and my elder child sensitive to synthetic materials, I wanted to create items that were gentle, durable and tactile,” she explains. Her earliest creations were small amigurumi toys which gradually evolved into ornaments that could adorn Christmas trees with warmth and charm.
Test your knowledge of Stranger Things with our quiz ahead of the final season premiere!
Studio Bones’ new shounen, Gachiakuta, based off Kei Urana's manga, is a blitz of anarchy in animation, turning society’s discarded into a swirl of stylised rebellion
It Was Just an Accident, is screened in the World Cinema category at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala
Krithika Natarajan delivers a classically-rooted carnatic concert at Kedaram's 10th music festival in Chennai.
At Sunaada Lahari, K. Gayatri curated a recital drawn wholly from Suguna Purushothaman’s works, revealing the composer’s melodic and rhythmic imagination.
A.R. Rahman discusses challenges in attracting youth to classical music at the Music Academy's 99th annual conference and concerts.
Discover the joy of pursuing dreams in old age with Gabriel Mascaro’s anti-ageism film, Blue Trail, at IFFK 2025.
Explore Fazil Razak's "Moham," a poignant film addressing toxic relationships and mental health at IFFK 2025.
At Kartik Fine Arts, the Malladi Brothers’ concert stood out for their rare raga choices and classical presentation.
Across a year determined to see how far it could stretch the sanity of its most devoted otakus, these are the anime that actually justified the suffering
LAPD investigates apparent homicide at Rob Reiner's home, where two individuals were found dead.