SPB's five-decade long connection with Malayalam cinema

S P Balasubramanyam, who sang around 120 Malayalam songs over five decades since 1969, got acceptance from the Malayali audience at a time when K J Yesudas was reigning.

Moreover, Malayalis' affection towards Tamil films also made SPB a native singer in their minds.

Apart from a series of popular Malayalam film songs, SPB's devotional songs, especially Ayyappa songs, were much popular. He was also honoured with the 'Harivarasanam Award' of Kerala government in 2015 in recognition of his immense contributions to propagate the spirit of secularism, equanimity and universal brotherhood of Lord Ayappa Temple at Sabarimala through the songs he rendered in different languages.

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SPB's first Malayalam song was 'Ee Kadalum Marukadalum' in the Malayalam film 'Kadalppaalam' in 1969. While the lyrics were of popular poet Vayalar Ramavarma, popular musician G Devarajan composed the music.

Afterwards, he sang a number of popular Malayalam songs in the next five decades like 'Oottipattanam' for the film 'Kilukkam' in 1991 and 'Kalikkalam' for the film 'Ramji Rao Speaking' in 1989.

For Malayalam film songs with Hindi and Tamil lyrics -- like 'Maine pyar kiya...' for the film 'CID Moosa' and 'Raajaavin Paarvai...' for the film 'Vaamanapuram
Bus Route' -- SPB was indeed the right singer.

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Kerala former chief secretary and lyricist K Jayakumar said that SPB could offer a different voice at a time when Yesudas was reigning. He was a much more versatile singer as he could handle any type, Jayakumar said. 'Paalnilaavile ...', a Malayalam song written by Jayakumar
for the film 'Butterflies' in 1993 was sung by SPB.

His last Malayalam song was in 2018 for the Malayalam - Tamil film 'Kinar' along with Yesudas.

Films like 'Keladi Kanmani' and 'Thiruda Thiruda' in which he acted were also much popular among the Malayali f