She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2006.[3] She made her debut as a playback singer in the 1948 Tamil film Kangkanam.[4]
Early life
Leela was born in 1934 in Chittur, Palakkad, Kerala, to V.K. Kunjanmenon "Menon" and Porayath Meenakshi Amma. She was the youngest of three daughters, with sisters Sharadha and Bhanumathi. Her father, V.K. Kunjanmenon, was a teacher at Ramavarma Higher Secondary School in Ernakulam. He encouraged his daughters to learn Carnatic music, and Leela attributes her passion for singing to his influence.[citation needed]
By age 13, Leela had sung over 5,000 film songs in all the major South Indian languages: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada. She had also recorded songs for Bengali and Sinhala films. Known for her versatile singing, she built a reputation in both the mainstream film industry and classical carnatic music. Leela considered it a privilege to have sung during the same era as the Carnatic musicians M.S. Subbulakshmi, M.L. Vasanthakumari, and D.K. Pattammal.[citation needed] She has worked with Indian music directors and collaborated with many prominent singers from the South Indian film industry.[citation needed]
Leela's first guru was Thiribuvana Manibhagavadhar, the uncle of musician T. V. Gopalakrishnan. Later, she learned from Paththamadai Krishna Ayyar, Maruthuvakudi Rajagopala Iyer, and Rama Bhagavathar. Leela was trained in Carnatic music by influential figures such as Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar and V. Dakshinamoorthy. Vadakkancheri Ramabhagavadhar was a close friend of Leela's father, Menon. He had settled down in Madras. He would invite Menon and Leela to Madras to learn music whenever he visited Ernakulam. The headmistress of the school where Leela was studying advised her father to take her to Madras for further music training.
It was Menon's goal to make his youngest daughter a skilled singer. Menon resigned from his job in Ernakulam and took Leela to Madras in 1944. They stayed with Vadakkancheri Ramabagavathar in Mylapore and the 10-year-old Leela began learning in the gurukula style. Her father insisted that Leela do sadhaka (practice music) early in the morning.
The Columbia Recording Company was looking for a female voice. The manager at the time, Ganabathirama Iyer, recommended Leela. She was appointed as their artist, which paved the way for her entry into films.
In Tamil, Nandakumar was the first movie to introduce playback singing. A.V. Meiyappa Chettiar came up with the innovative idea of replacing the soundtrack with voice and the playback system was introduced in Tamil cinema in 1938. It gradually got accepted and many singers entered the movie world.
When she landed in Madras, she did not know Tamil or Telugu. She would write the songs in Malayalam and practice them to perfection. Once she started her career as a playback singer, she arranged for tutors and learned other languages.
She got her first offer to sing in 1948 for a Tamil movie. Her father was initially reluctant but later he was persuaded to accept. Leela made her first appearance as a playback singer in the movie Kanganam. She sang her first song, Sree Varalakshmi, when she was just 13 years old. C.H. Padmanabhasastry was the music director of the film. She sang all the songs for the heroine in that film. After her debut in Kanganam, she was the most sought-after playback singer in South Indian cinema for more than two decades.[5]
In 1948, she sang Paaduka Poonkuyile for the Malayalam movie Nirmala, though Balan, made in 1938, was the first Malayalam "talkie" with a soundtrack. Balan was produced by T.R Sundaram for Modern Theatres, Salem, with S. Nottani as the director.
Telugu movies
In 1949, Leela made her debut in Telugu Cinema singing in three films: Mana Desam, Keelu Gurram and Gunasundari Katha. Singer and music director Ghantasala (with whom Leela has sung the most songs) introduced Leela in Manadesam. She sang all the songs for the heroine in the film Gunasundari Katha.
In the 1950s, Leela was singing in all the South Indian languages. Vijaya productions' first movie, Shavukaru, did not fare well at the box office.
She sang in the film Missamma (made as Missiyamma in Tamil), and worked as a music director for a film called 'Chinnari Papalu' (Telugu) in 1968. The film was produced exclusively by women. She sang eight songs along with P. Susheela in the film Lava Kusa (1963).
"Chedi Maraivile Oru Poongodi", "Yaanai Thandham Pole" and "Konji Pesum Kiliye" with MKT "Mullaich Chirippile" and "Mookuthi Minnudhu" with N. L. Ghanasaraswathi
"Nanu Dayaganave Naa Moravinava" "Jalakaalaatalalo kalakalapaatalalo" along with P. Suseela and "Varinchi Vachchina Maanavaveerudu also along with P. Suseela""
Leela married a lawyer, but the marriage was unsuccessful. In her later years, she devoted herself to performing classical concerts and light music programs. She lived with her nieces and nephews in Defence Colony, St. Thomas Mount (Parangimalai).
Legacy, Singing style
She was known for her ability to sing both classical and light film music. The emotional touch and classical discipline which she imparted in Film Music.[6] This can be well explained by her song in the film Chilamboli, Priyamanasa Nee composed by V Dakshinamoorthy and sung by her.[7]
On her death, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalitha said:
“One of the greatest vocal musicians of India, who made a name for herself by singing exquisite songs in her mellifluous voice in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu both for the film industry, as well as in Carnatic music." She had also rendered melodious devotional songs.
Though she had been decorated with a number of awards including the Kalaimamani Award of the State Government for 1991-92, she was the epitome of humility and considered her contributions in the field of music a humble service to humanity and an offering to the Lord.
In her passing, we have lost a great singer, leaving a great void in the world of music.”[8]
Awards and recognition
1.Civilian Honours by Government of India
She was awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously for her contributions in the year 2006.[9]
P. Leela died on 31 October 2005, at 00:40 IST at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre in Chennai. She was hospitalized in late September after suffering serious injuries sustained due to a fall in the bathroom in her home. Though she was operated her condition suddenly worsened due to pneumonia, possibly a complication from her long-standing asthma, and she went into a deep coma a day before she died. She was cremated with full state honours the same day as her death at Besant Nagar Crematorium.
Memorial
An open stage named Thiruvarangu was built in 2018 at her native place Chittur-Tathamangalam in her memory.[19][20]
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