Brahmanandan wasn’t the busiest singer in the 1960s and 70s – very much the golden period of Malayalam film music. How could anyone be, when legends Yesudas and P. Jayachandran were in their prime?
Still, the singer with an original voice and style was able to make a mark. In 1969, he made a stunning debut with Manathe kayalil. .., composed by K. Raghavan, who never deterred from giving fresh voices an opportunity. The song from Kallichellamma was an instant hit.
Brahmanandan went on to live up to the expectations as he came up with several hits, like Tharakaroopinee ... ( Shasthram Jayichu Manushyan Thottu ) and Neela nisheedhinee.. . ( CID Nazir ), Priyamullavale. .. ( Thekkan Kattu ).
His son, Rakesh, hadn’t begun taking music seriously enough when Brahmanandan died in August, 2004. Fourteen years later, he paid a melodious tribute to his father at the Tagore Centenary Hall here on Tuesday night.
The show titled, Neelanisheedhini , is a dream come true for him. “I will not just be singing my father’s songs, but the programme will sketch his biography,” Rakesh told The Hindu . “I am delighted that I could launch the show here at Kozhikode; my father used to tell me that he enjoyed performing at Kozhikode than anywhere else.”
There wasn’t however a big crowd for the show. That was hardly surprising, given the incessant rain the city has been witnessing since Monday night.
Those who could make it though were treated to some lovely melodies. Rakesh began on the right note, too, with a neat rendering of Neela nisheedhinee... He sounded in even better form when he sang Manathe kayalil...
