Sujatha Mohan

Sujatha Mohan (credited as Sujatha) is an Indian playback singer who is popular for singing in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu movies. She has also sung for Kannada, Badaga, Hindi and Marathi movies. In a career spanning 46 years, she has recorded more than 7,000 songs to date.

Personal life

Sujatha Mohan is the granddaughter of Parur T. K. Narayana Pillai, the main Chief Minister of the past Travancore-Cochin State after India acquired Independence. Her dad, the late Dr. Vijayendran kicked the bucket when she was two years of age. She finished her graduation in Economics from the St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam. She wedded Dr. V. Krishna Mohan on 9 May 1981. Her main girl, Shweta Mohan, is likewise a vocalist. Radhika Thilak and G. Venugopal are her cousins.

Career

Sujatha shot to popularity in the seventies as Baby Sujatha, the student who consistently used to sing with K. J. Yesudas in his stage shows everywhere. She recorded her most memorable tune, “Kannezhuthy Pottuthottu” when she was in the 6th norm. The tune was formed by M. K. Arjunan for the 1975 Malayalam film Tourist Bungalow. She kept tunes for Shyam in Kamam Krodham Moham and Salil Chowdhury in Aparadhi. Close to this time, writer M. G. Radhakrishnan inspired her to record numerous non-film tunes; the greatest hit among them was “Odakkuzhal Vili”.

She debuted in Tamil through the song “Kaadhal Oviyam Kandein” from Kavikuyil (1977), tuned in Hameer Kalyani raga by Illayaraja, but it was not included in the film. Her first released song in Tamil was “Kalai Paniyil” from the Tamil film Gaayathri (1977), starring Sridevi and Rajinikanth with music by Ilaiyaraja. She sang for Ilaiyaraaja in Johnny, Kavikuyil and Ilamai Kolangal. After her marriage in 1981, she took a sabbatical from playback singing. She made a successful comeback in 1988 through Kadathanadan Ambadi, followed by the hit Chithram.

She used to sing ad jingles in the late 1980s for A. R. Rahman (such as the Premiere Cooker ad and the Tilda Rice ad). Then Rahman got her to sing “Pudhu Vellai Mazhai” from Mani Ratnam’s 1992 film Roja, which became one of the biggest hit songs in India. The backing vocals for the song “Kadhal Roja” were also performed by Sujatha. She has had other hit songs, most of them with Rahman from films including Pudhiya Mugam (1992), Gentleman (1993), Jeans and Minsaara Kanavu (1997). She has also recorded some songs in Hindi, including “Dil Hai Sanam” (the Hindi version of “Thee Thee”) from Chor Chor (Thiruda Thiruda), “Ishq Bina” from Taal, “Hai Jaana” from Pukar and “Ishwar Allah” from Earth, and provided backing vocals for the song “Tum Ho Meri Nigahom” from Kabhi Na Kabhi, all of them composed by A. R. Rahman. She has had many of her notable and successful songs under the musical direction of A. R. Rahman. Her husky voice has given her huge number of fans across.

She made a strong comeback in the Malayalam film industry in the mid-1990s and most of her notable Malayalam songs were composed by Vidyasagar. Most of her hit songs from Telugu are composed by Mani Sharma. She was also a judge in munch star singer junior, IDEA star singer, AIRTEL super singer (VIJAY TV).

Awards & Nominations:

• 2015 – Asiavision Awards for Best Female Playback Singer – Ottamandaram
• 2014 – Thikkurishi Award (shared with Shewta) for movie Ottamandaram
• 2013 – JFW magazine Women Achievers Award.
• 2009 – Swaralaya Yesudas Award
• 2008 – Best female singer award in GMMA (Gulf Malayalam Music Awards)
• The Film Critics award 11 times
• The Cinema Express award
• The Dinakaran award
• Vanitha award for ‘Kallai Kadavathu’ in ‘Perumazhakkalam’
• Mathrubhoomi Award for ‘Kallai Kadavathu’ in ‘Perumazhakkalam’
• Raju Pilakkad Film Award
• Lifetime Achievement Award from Zee Tamil saregamapa little champs she got the award from her mother
• South Indian Bank women’s achiever’s award 2017
• Mirchi Music Awards 2018: Lifetime achievement
• Kamukara Purushothaman Kamukara Award 2019: Lifetime achievement (Award from P. Susheela)
• Kalaimamani 2021

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