Write-up Courtesy: Srividya Sanjay, United States
Whenever one hears the name “ P.Susheela”, the
immediate thoughts that crop up in our
mind are “What a great singer, what wonderful classics,
devotionals and melodies she has rendered, what clear and sweet voice”. One
goes way into that classic mode of thinking and hailing her as “Gana
Saraswathi” (she has been awarded this title) etc. Also, our memories would go
back to faces of heroines like savithri, jamuna, K.R.Vijaya, Padmini,kanchana,
vanisri, chandrakala,Anjali, jayapradha, jayasudha ,sridevi etc until the
heroies of early 90’s.
But can one imagine PS with Silk smitha, Jayamalini, Jyothi Lakshmi,
Disco shanthi? The immediate names that pop out are L.R.Eswari or S.Janaki
isn’t it? It is very hard to associate
her with these dancers because a listener always has a conservative approach
when it comes to P.Susheela. One would perhaps find it hard to digest that a
singer of calibre like PS could render songs in that type!!!!!!!!
A genuine and successful singer is one who can
handle any type of song and not be constrained or restricted to only certain
genres. Otherwise he or she might be labelled or confined only to a particular
type of songs and to break from that jinx is not easy. P.Susheela handled every
song be it any genre, with dedication and presented it perfectly ,immaterial
for who/what character it was rendered! It is of course very challenging for a
singer who renders classics and melodies to jump into such seductive and
sometimes erotic numbers with profane language and expressions. When one has to
render such item numbers, we know of singers who just make use of horrible
expressions and make it seem even more vulgar and indecent.
But if we look at PS way of rendition, she never
oversteps , keeps her calm , expressions remain controlled, in even saucy numbers. The rest is done by
the dance artiste. By her execution, she does try to keep the number at hearing
range for family oriented audience (not talking of the masses).
In this article we will be looking at songs which PS
has rendered for the item numbers/ dancers of the 50’s to 90’s. We will be
astonished to see that she has rendered 125 + songs for Jayamalini and 30+ for
SilkSmitha, Most of the songs are hits! She has rendered not only for south
Indian dancers, but also for actresses like Helen, Jayasri and Aruna Irani from
Bollywood.
Let’s start with the beautiful Bollywood dancer of yesteryears Helen. PS rendered “Sundaranga andukora” from bookailas! Helen plays the role of Rambha trying to disrupt Ravana’s penance.
A very very beautiful number both in terms of music as well as choreography.
| 1956 | Telugu | bhookalias | sundaranga andukora |
Aruna Irani
Aruna Irani who started her career
as a dancer and then ventured into comedy roles with Asrani. PS rendered 2
numbers for her.
1) A
qawwali number “Bangaru guvvanu nenu” (she has expressions in hindi which are
so cute) with Md.Rafi from “Bhale thammudu”.
Interestingly in the same movie she
has rendered another vamp number for dancer Vijayagirija “Yeh maja”. It is
beautiful when she says the words”That’s life”.
2) “Ayyababoi” , a duet with SPB from the movie
Babu.
. Even though Jayamalini was mostly
a dancer, she has acted as second heroine or important roles in many movies.
| 1969 | Telugu | Bhale Tammudu | Yeh Maja |
Halam :
| 1978 | Malayalam | kadathanattu Makkam | aanandha natanam apsara |
| 1978 | Telugu | manchivaadu | maapatikosthaavaa |
| 1977 | Telugu | ramba oorvasi menaka | nee pilupu vinalenu |
| 1974 | Telugu | manmadha leela | kushalamena kurradana |
| 1974 | Telugu | andaru dongale | gudu dudu gunjam |
| 1975 | Telugu | mutyala muggu | enthati rasikudavo |
| 1978 | Tamil | alavudenum arputha vilakkum(new) | kalaivanigale kiligale |
| 1978 | Malayalam | ThachOLi ambu | naanam kunungikale |
| 1972 | Tamil | kaase than kadavulada | intru vandha(movie_ver) |
| 1973 | Malayalam | football champion | mathyana venalil mayangum |
| 1977 | Telugu | seetha rama vanavasam | raavo raavana raviteja |
| 1980 | Malayalam | Bhaktha hanuman | ananda nadanam |
| 1984 | Tamil | anthappura marmam | aadum kalai raniyodu |
| 1979 | Tamil | Ennaippol oruvan | velale vizhigal |
Vijaya Lalitha
Vijayalalitha is one of the dancers of seventees. She was a heroine in many movies.
| 1968 | Malayalam | viplavakaarikal | thampurattikkoru |
| 1978 | Malayalam | ThachOLi ambu | makara maasa pournamiyil |
| 1974 | Malayalam | ara kallan mukka kallan | panchabanan en cheviyil |
CID Sakhunthala :
| 1976 | Tamil | kadamai nenjam | night queen |
| 1972 | Tamil | karunthel kannayiram | panam venum panam venum |
| 1972 | Tamil | karunthel kannayiram | paRakkum vaNdaattam nadathu |
| 1978 | Tamil | mangudi minor | En kaiyil oruppathu kathi |
Jyothi Lakshmi
Let’s now move onto Jyothi Lakshmi
who was a sibling of Jayamalini. Both have danced together in many numbers.
Actually it was jyothi Lakshmi who entered the films as a dancer and later Jayamalini followed.
PS sang many numbers for jyothilakshmi too.
A few include
1) “Chana
channa mane” a very beautiful competition based dance duet with Jayamalini. PS
rendered for jyothilakshmi while SJ for jayamalini. It is a song with semi
classical background composed by satyam.
2) Yentha
sogasuga is a beautiful melody by
PS,Ghantasala (MD: Ghantasala) picturized on Harnath, jyothilakshmi ),
3) Konte
choopulu from Srimanthudu by PS,Ghantasala is a
mujra style dance on jyothilakshmi and ANR.
4) A
Very funny anthakshari type song “Sannayi vayinchu” picturized on both
jyothilakshmi and jaymalini from the movie “Collector gari abbayi”.
List of Songs :
| 1968 | Tamil | poovum pottum | ennam pol kannan vanthan |
| 1972 | Tamil | yaar jambulingam | kani mutham pathinthadhu |
| 1969 | Telugu | vichitra kutumbam | naluguru navvara |
| 1968 | Telugu | ranabheri | vayasulona unnappude |
| 1976 | Telugu | amma naanna | noonoorgu meesalodu |
| 1984 | Telugu | babulugadi debba | cheppakaadu rammanu |
| 1980 | Telugu | bandodu gundamma | dikkula kavatala |
| 1973 | Telugu | jyothi lakshmi | kavvinchake nee kallatho |
| 1980 | Telugu | kothapeta rowdy | lotti bitta lotti bitta |
| 1980 | Telugu | kothapeta rowdy | paruvaalo lokam paduthola |
| 1973 | Telugu | panjaramlo pasipapa | naachanda neevunde |
| 1973 | Telugu | panjaramlo pasipapa | thottaloki raakura |
| 1967 | Telugu | peddakkayya | cheliya Kuruva madhuvu |
| 1967 | Malayalam | Nagarame nanni | kanni raavil kalaba kinnam |
| 1968 | Malayalam | kodunalloor amma | kaaveri poompattinathil |
| 1971 | Telugu | sreemanthudu | Konte choopulu |
| 1984 | Telugu | justice chakravarthi | seethammaku cheyisthi |
| 1962 | Telugu | punyavathi | Yentha sogasuga vunnavu |
| 1967 | Telugu | punyavathi | bale bagundhi |
Jai Kumari
Let’s now move onto Jayakumari who was also a dancer in the 70’s and early eighties.
| 1972 | Tamil | kaase than kadavulada | intru vandha intha |
Jayamalini
Even though Jayamalini was mostly a dancer, she has acted as second heroine or important roles in many movies.
Let’s have a look at a few numbers
for Jayamalini:
1)“Oh cheli “is a wonderful
melodious duet of PS with S.P.B for the movie “Devathalara devinchandi”.
Jayamalini plays the role of kshudra naga devata who takes revenge.
2) “Pora Pokiri” is again a good
number from the movie “Chakradhari”. Jayamalini dances to this song with
folkish attire.
3) One of the wonderful Qawwali
numbers and also a super hit one is “Medalo cherina chilakkamma” from the movie
“Naa pere bhagawan”. PS shares this song with SPB and it is
Picturize don jayamalini and
Ramakrishna.
4) Some
raunchy number’s for jayamalini
include “Gudivada vellanu”(PS from Yamagola0, Puttintolu tharimesaru from
vetagadu(PS,SPB), seemanunchi vachava(athmeeyudu(new)),
Ringu ringu(seetramulu).There are
many more…………..
5)Some semi classical dance numbers include
“Charitra nayaka” from Sri anjaneya charitra, Natyamu navamohanam from Sri
venkateswara vratha mahatyam,jayasiddhi vinayakam from Madana manjari, chai
chali reyi from thandrapaparayudu.
6) Some melodies include Ramyam
roopam from Gandharva kanya (PS,SPB),pranaya kavyamuna(with SPB ) in
“Jayasudha”.
7) Some cabaret numbers include ”Oh
subbarao Oh apparao” (with VJ) in Bobbili Puli, Kai raja Kai from “Rangoon
rowdy”.
Silk Smitha
While Jayamalini was ruling the roost in late 70’s,
silk smitha gave her tough competition and dethroned he rto become the “Queen”.
Let’s have a look at some numbers for her.
1) "Pesa
koodathu" (PS,SPB), "Mella mella ennai thottu", "kalidasan
kannadasan", azhagana pattampoochi" are evergreen hits in tamil.
2) Sringara
seemanthini, is a beautiful melody by PS,SPB and thadisinakoka(PS,SPB) is a sizzling number and akesi pappesi (PS)is a lullaby number from the movie “Abhimanyudu”. MD:KVM
3)Some
mischevious numbers include “SAcchi naa kadupuna” from Goodachari no 1 with
chiranjeevi,naruda naruda from chattamtho poratam
Videos :
Here is the Link for her songs.
Anuradha
Anuradha tried to compete with Silk smitha during
the eighties and let’s see a few PS
numbers for her
1) Cheema
anta from aakrandana
2) maa amma kotimiraku from nippulanti manishi
3) Hayi
hayi form PAndenti kapuraniki panendu sutralu.
One Video
| Year | Language | Movie | Songs | |
| 1980 | Telugu | pandanti kapuraniki panendu sutralu | intha hayiga intha | |
| 1982 | Malayalam | kaaliyamardhanam | pushyaraaga theril | |
| 1983 | Tamil | seerum singangal | pallakkai thookki paarkkka | |
| 1984 | Telugu | bhola sankarudu | choostha choostha | |
| 1985 | Tamil | mayavi | vitha vithamana nyabagamo | |
| 1985 | Telugu | aakrandana | cheema anta | |
| 1986 | Telugu | nippulanti manishi | maa amma kotimiraku | |
| 1986 | Telugu | vikram | salamidigo savalidigo | |
| 1988 | Tamil | simma soppanam | raava pagala |
Disco Shanthi
Another dancer who made her way through the mid eighties and early nineties is Disco shanti. She is a daughter of Anandan, who acted in "Roja malare Rajakumari" song. PS
rendered a few songs for Disco Sahnthi also.
1)Love lo missu from
Donga kollu
2)O guma gumamdi puvvu
(a nice melody) by PS,SPB from kalyana thamboolam
3) sivarathri from marana sasanam.
| 1987 | Telugu | marana sasanam | sivarathiri |
| 1988 | Telugu | donga kollu | lovullo missu |
| 1986 | Telugu | kalyana thamboolam | O gumma gummadi puvvu |
Kuyili
Kuyili was a Group Dancer and got intorduced as heroine through "Poo Vilangu" movie by K.Balachandar. Later she turned as a dancer.
One Video Song :
| 1989 | Tamil | valadhu kalai vaithu va | sangeethak kuyile en |
Bapitha
Bapitha is a daughter of old Stunt actor Justin and She also did some glamourous roles in Eightees. "Naan sirithal deepavali" is one of the famous songs for her. The telugu version of that song is sung by P.Susheela and Jamuna Rani.
One Video :
| 1978 | Tamil | achani | naan azhaikkiren then |
| 1987 | Telugu | naayakudu | Naa navve deepavali |
Abhilasha
| 1992 | Telugu | raakasi kona | oore ore |
| 1992 | Telugu | raakasi kona | aha adavi |
To conclude , PS
exhibited her versatility in enthralling the masses with these colorful numbers
and emerged victorious in this category too!
