With his 5 feet 4 inch height, medium build and boyish looks, he could easily merge with the crowd. But probe beyond those boyish looks and you’ll find a cricketer with a mellifluous voice, a national award recipient for his debut film song ‘Ennavale Adi Ennavale’, degrees in commerce and law, diploma in personnel management and industrial relations…the list is endless.

With 25 plus albums, over 600 film songs and innumerable classical songs to his credit, his fan following is huge.

His devotional songs reverberate in Indian homes.

Unaffected by his achievements, Unnikrishnan is a picture of patience and humility. Born in 1966, the only child to his parents, ‘Unni’ was intensely interested in cricket. He batted and kept wickets in the Tamil Nadu senior division league. Unni sketches his life and career …

Can you tell us about your childhood and first tryst with music…

(After a long pause) My mother was into devotional music, ‘Harikathas’ and plays. But the elders never supported her. She wanted me to sing, eventually putting me under a guru. Being an average student, I was interested in cricket but was forced to take up music. My music guru used to come, teach and then, I used to forget about it. My serious singing started at the age of 18.

Did you ever imagine taking music as a profession when you started learning?

When I started learning music at the age of 12, I never wanted to be a musician. At one point, I was singing and working; it was very difficult. Music requires a lot of dedication. My first film song was a huge hit and offers poured in. This changed my career graph.

You once said that you saw no scope in cricket which is why you did not take to it. Any regrets?

No regrets. Cricket is extremely competitive. To sing you need a good voice which I was gifted with.

You learnt under almost nine gurus. How did they influence you?

Each of my gurus had a different style and was extremely important. I learnt different styles and combined it, thereby making my music unique. My foundation in music was excellent, so changing gurus did not adversely affect me. Adapting to any style became easy.

You’ve achieved everything – awards, popularity… what keeps you going?

The awards and popularity itself keep me going. It gives me the motivation to work harder.  

How important is publicity for a musician?

It’s extremely important. Performing for three hours and keeping the audience glued to their seats requires experience. Each concert is different. The media is supportive of you when you’re doing well. The moment you make a mistake, they pounce on you. The media should understand the difficulties of an artist. A bad review stays in the minds of people and that affects the artist’s image. Carnatic music requires publicity and awareness to survive and stride through generations. The media must encourage youngsters.

Does it demotivate you when people leave in between a concert?

 It’s a bad trend in India, especially South India. It’s insulting when people leave during a recital, especially during the ‘Thaniavarthanam’. It shakes the artist but then, you realise there are people still waiting to listen to you. The organisers have to make announcements not to give requests during the ‘Thaniavarthanam’.

From where do you derive the spiritual grain you give to your music?

I am god-fearing. Spirituality comes naturally. The Bhagavatam melas and discourses I was a part of in my childhood have had a great impact on me and is probably reflected in my music.

As a youth representative of classical music, what do fashion and trends mean to you?

Constantly being in the public eye, it is important to carry yourself well. I do follow fashion trends but, I don’t overdo it.