Chitra Iyer

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Chitra Iyer
Dirctor Lenin Rajendran with the cast of Malayalam film Ratri Mazha of Indian Panaorama at presentation on 24.11.2007 at Panji Goa.jpg
Background information
BornKarunagappally Kerala, India
Genres Playback singing
Occupation(s)Singer, television host, Actor
Years active2000–present

Chitra Iyer (also credited as Chitra Sivaraman) is an Indian playback singer who has worked in Indian and Italian films across five different industries primarily in Malayalam.

Contents

A resident of Bangalore, Chitra worked extensively with A. R. Rahman during the early 2000s on his Tamil films, while also having an alternate career as a television host and actress on Malayalam television. [1] [2]

Career

Early in her career, Chitra Iyer attempted to reach out to composer A. R. Rahman to work with him, but found it difficult as she was based out of Bangalore. In 2000, Rahman initiated contact with Chitra and invited her to come to Chennai with a demo cassette of her work, with Chitra recording a series of Tamil and Malayalam songs. [3] On the day of her visit to Chennai, Rahman immediately heard the songs and hired her to record for the song "Athini Sithini" for the film Thenali (2000) during the same evening. She subsequently continued to work for other composers in Tamil cinema including Karthik Raja, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Bharadwaj and Vidyasagar under her post-marriage name of Chitra Sivaraman. Furthermore, apart from in her mother tongue of Tamil, Chitra continued to sing playback for Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi films. [3]

In the Malayalam entertainment industry, she had an alternate career as an anchor of a Malayalam singing show, Jeeva's Sapta Swarangal and hosted it under her maiden name, Chitra Iyer. Having done her education in Kerala, she had a good foundation in the Malayalam language, with her work on the show leading to further opportunities to sing for films. [3]

Personal life

Chitra Iyer is married to former Air Force pilot Vinod Sivaraman since 12 July 1989. The pair met at the insistence of their parents at Chennai Gymkhana Club in early 1989, and have since had two daughters Aditi and Anjali. [4] Anjali is known for her performance in the 2023 Netflix series Class .

In recent years, alongside her television commitments, Chitra has worked as the founder and trustee of the Society for Elephant Welfare in Kerala. [5] She has also promoted farming with the state, supporting a project launched by her mother Rohini Iyer. [6] Likewise, she launched a software company, Darkhorse Productions, in 2013 alongside her daughters Aditi and Anjali Sivaraman. [7]

Notable discography

Tamil
YearSong titleFilmMusic DirectorNotes
2000"Athini Sithini" Thenali A. R. Rahman
2001"Athan Varuvaga" Dumm Dumm Dumm Karthik Raja
"Adi Nenthikkitten" Star A. R. Rahman
"Thozha Thozha" Pandavar Bhoomi Bharadwaj
"Colour Colour" Manadhai Thirudivittai Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Panjaangam Paarakadhe" Thavasi Vidyasagar
2002"Neruppu Koothadikudhu" Thulluvadho Ilamai Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Dhuan Dhuan Sa" 16 December Karthik Raja
2003"Vasiyakaara" Pudhiya Geethai Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Ale Ale" Boys A. R. Rahman
"Asathura" Enakku 20 Unakku 18 A. R. Rahman
2004"Anarkali" Kangalal Kaidhu Sei A. R. Rahman
"Bommalattam" Bose Yuvan Shankar Raja
Malayalam
YearSong titleFilmMusic Director
1996KunjikattinNaalamkettile Nalla ThampimarSP Venkatesh
1998Aadharam MadhuramGramapanchayath Berny Ignatius
Thankamani TharamayKudumba Varthakkal
2001Kalakalam PadumKorappam the Great Balabhaskar
2002Raavinte Devahridayam Mazhathullikilukkam Suresh Peters
Kaatoram KadaloramSisiram Berny Ignatius
Pakkala
2003Ishtamallada Swapnakoodu Mohan Sithara
Chundatu chettipoo Chronic Bachelor Deepak Dev
Nalkani AayaloOttakambi Nadam Ramesh Narayan
Oru Swapnam
2004Valentine ValentineYouth FestivalM. Jayachandran
Maatupetti Mayilattam
Paalathil ThallithaliUdayam Mohan Sithara
Rithame
2005Oru SwapnamDecember Jassie Gift
Kadamthadi
2006Kusumavadana Madhuchandralekha M. Jayachandran
Kaadukulirana Bada Dosth
2007Sneham KondoruSooryakireedamBennet
Sneham Kondoru (slow)
2011MaanmizhiMetro Shaan Rahman
Maanmizhi (Remix)
2013Hey Ethuvazhi Arikil Oraal Gopi Sundar

Television

Other TV Shows as guest

She has also performed in a few Mauritius Television shows as Performer

TV serials - Malayalam
YearTitleChannelRoleNotes
2002Venalmazha Surya TV —Singer - Thalirayi song
2013 Kumkumapoovu Asianet Arundathi Jithan's friendSuper hit
2015-2016Eeran Nilavu Flowers (TV channel) Vidyabharathi
2018–2019Gauri Surya TV Yamini

Filmography

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References

  1. ↑ "Find a track - Asian Network - BBC Music". BBC. Archived from the original on 1 January 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories". The Tribune. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "When fortune met talent..." The Hindu . 2 January 2004. Archived from the original on 20 November 2004. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "shevlin's world: July 2013". shevlinsebastian.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Society for Elephant Welfare". sew-india.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Mathrubhumi: ReadMore -'Rohini Iyer earns income through varied farming'". mathrubhumi.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "DARKHORSE PRODUCTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED". Indian Company Info. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
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