SOUTH MASALA

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BangaloreMirror

| TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011

27

Aplaceinthesun
After a sluggish start to his career, Vijay, son of legendary Yesudas, is back with a bang in Tamil and Malayalam. An interview with the ace singer
Rajaneesh Vilakudy bmfeedback@indiatimes.com
hen the mind is at sea, said Goethe, an old song provides a raft. For the last 50 years, Yesudas has been a raft for music lovers, aiding every listener find a mooring. For every season, every mood, there is a Yesudas song. So when his son Vijay Yesudas first set sail on the playback scene, everyone connoisseurs and laymen alike expected the same melodic voyage. But it was not. In 2000, when he made his debut in Millennium Stars, a Malayalam film, there was unmitigated backlash from critics, leaving the rookie in roiling waters. The verdict was out: Yesudass son cant sing. Instead of chewing the cud of bitterness, Vijay went back to the basics to prune his skills. The result was incredible. Ilayaraja offered him a string of songs in Tamil, sweeping Tamil Nadu off its feet (Like the song in Balu Mahendras Julie Ganapathy). It was just the beginning. In 2007, seven years later, Vijay made a sensational reentry in Malayalam through Nivedyam (Kozhakulal Ketto..) bagging a state award. Since then he has crooned some of the best melodies in Malayalam, numbering over 100. The same critics started lapping up Vijay, with some of his renditions being compared to his illustrious father himself (this boy is getting close to his father). His career may have bloomed a bit late, but it seemed inevitable because it was the genes that were at work. This year, he has to his credit three of the most popular songs in Tamil (Balle Lakka.. in Mankatha) and Malayalam (Mazhathulli.. in Pranayam, Ee puzhayum in Indian Rupee). Finally, Vijay has earned his place under the sun, having emerged out of his legendary fathers shadows. Excerpts from an interview: music. He gave us the freedom to choose. So if anything can shake you all besides music, it has to be tennis or sports in general? Yes, we try to catch up all major tournaments. Andre Agassi is my favourite player. My other favorites are Federer and Nadal. I am a hardcore fan of basketball and cricket as well. Talking about your career, when you had your debut in Millennium Stars, a Malayalam film, you were ripped apart I was in the US and the offer was totally unexpected. My fathers manager called me and told about the film that narrates the story of two singers. He said they wanted to introduce me in a song that would also be rendered by my father, Hariharan and I. I readily agreed and flew down. That was in 1999. Technically, the 1987 flick Idanazhiyil Oru Kalocha (Malayalam) was my debut in Dakshinamoorthy Swamis music. I must admit that the criticism was fair, but I was raw in talent and hardly well prepared for it, because my entry into films came suddenly, unexpected. And my accent was really criticised, more than anything else. There was no real excuse for why I wasnt perfect with the language, but it only gave me a challenge to improve on it. And I think almost 2-3 years into my career, I had rectified that problem completely. I would say now no one has a complaint with my Malayalam. Then you took a sabbatical of sorts. It must have been the most agonising time of your career. Where did you go? In fact, I did not go anywhere, nor did I take a sabbatical. I knew I had to hone my skills if I need to be a singer. My family stood with me in those testing times. The biggest support came from my father and my mother. For twothree years and even now, its all about hard work. During those times, I started training in Carnatic and Hindustani music with Prof Ramamoorthy Rao in Chennai, who was a disciple of Sri Bhimsen Joshi. That was a major turn-

ing point in my vocal training and flexibility and it made me grow a lot as a singer. Then came the call from Ilayaraja, the maestro, for Tamil films. What else could I have asked to boost my confidence? My first song in Tamil was in Friends (Rukku Rukku..). Then came Julie Ganapathy (Enakku PidithaPadal..) and many more. I am indebted to Raja sir. Some of the songs were chart-busters, creating a sensation all across Tamil Nadu. Like the Malligai Malligai... song? The song in Kadhal Kondein (Kadhal

In fact, my father never insisted on anything, particularly music. We had the choice
Mattum Purivathillai...) by Yuvan Shankar Raja was one of my biggest hits. Then the Malligai Malligai song (by Mani Sharma) in Arasu was a major breakthrough. Many more films like Jayam, Sandakozhi, Kalvanin Kaadali, Deepavali and Billa followed. You kept rising in Tamil, but Malayalam industry did not bother till you made a sensational comeback through Nivedyam in 2007. You have not looked back since then. Yes, it was a dramatic reentry of sorts, so to say. The adulation was quite instantaneous, just like the rejection in 2000. I guess its my most popular Malayalam song. In many polls, it is rated as the best song in the last decade. All credit goes to M Jayachandran, the music director and the efforts of the late director Lohithadas. But as a singer, you seem to be more comfortable in Tamil than Malayalam. Had it been many years ago, I would have said yes. Not now. I have caught up in Malayalam. There are other technical factors as well. It is quite laid-back in Tamil, where you can take liberties with your rendering. In Malayalam, it is hugely demanding. Everything is under scanner. That is the major difference.

Is it tough being Yesudass son? Will the father-son comparisons ever stop? Has it been demoralising? To be quite honest, at no stage did such comparisons affect my morale. Instead, I would say it has been an inspiration. Another interesting thing is that I am straightaway being compared to Yesudas himself, not any of my fellow singers. That is a very high bar set for me, and more so a compliment, honour and advantage. How many people get that chance? Share your childhood memories with your father. Was it always about music at home? Music was there obviously, but there were other things too. Like sports and films. Not many know that my father is a big sports lover. That is why when my brother showed interest in tennis, he sent him to the US to get trained in the sport. In fact, my father never insisted on anything, particularly

VIJAYS MALAYALAM PICKS

Alliyambal (re-mixed) Koovaram Kili. (Banaras) Alli Poove.. (Bhagyadevatha) Sundari Sundari..(Samastha Keralam PO) Ithile Thozhi...(Elsamma Enna Ankutty) Oru Madhurakinavin..re-mixed for Tejabhai Mazhathulli..(Pranayam) Ee Puzhayum.. (Indian Rupee) Annara Kanna.. (Bhramaram) Also numbers in Cocktail, Robinhood and Pokkiri Raja

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