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 – Sharadha, Bhanumathi and Leela. V.K. Kunjanmenon was a teacher in Ramavarma Higher Secondary School at Ernakulam. Leela's father wanted her and her sisters to learn Carnatic music, and she states that her father was the reason she became a singer.[citation needed]
Since the age of 13, she has sung some 5,000 film songs in all the South Indian languages: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. She also sang for a Bengali film and in Sinhala movies. Her songs are known for their emotional touch and classical discipline. She made a name for herself by singing both in the film industry and in Carnatic music. She considered it an honour to have sung in the same period as Subbulakshmi, M L Vasanthakumari and D K Pattammal, three giants of Carnatic Music.[citation needed] She has worked under most of the great Indian music directors and has sung with many of the major singers of the South Indian film industry.
Career
Leela's first guru was Thiribuvana Manibhagavadhar, the uncle of musician T. V. Gopalakrishnan. Later she learnt from Paththamadai Krishna Ayyar, Maruthuvakudi Rajagopala Iyer and Rama Bhagavathar. Leela was trained in Carnatic music by doyens 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 training in music.
It was Menon's ambition to make his youngest daughter an accomplished singer. Menon resigned his job in Ernakulam and took Leela to Madras in 1944. They stayed with Vadakkancheri Ramabagavathar in Mylapore and the 10-year-old Leela started learning in gurukula style. Her father was particular that Leela do sadhaka (practice music) early in the morning.
Columbia Recording Company was looking for a female voice and the manager Ganabathirama Iyer recommended Leela. She was appointed as their artiste. This 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 acceptance and many singers entered the movie world.
When she landed in Madras she did not know Tamil or Telugu. She used to write the song in Malayalam and practice them to perfection. Once she started her career as playback singer she arranged tutors and learnt 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 debut as 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, for two decades and more she was the most sought-after playback singer in South Indian Cinema.[4]
In 1948, she sang Paaduka Poonkuyile for the Malayalam movie Nirmala, though Balan, made in 1938, was the first Malayalam "talkie" with a sound track. 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: Manadesam, 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 busy 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 not successful. In her later years, Leela was busy rendering classical concerts and light music programs. Leela was staying with her sister's children in Defence colony, St. Thomas Mount (Parangimalai).
Legacy, Singing style
She was known for her ability to sing both classical and light, film music also her emotional touch and classical discipline she imparted.[5] It can be well explained by her song in the film Chilamboli, Priyamanasa née composed by V Dakshinamoorthy and sung by her.[6]
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.[7]
Awards and recognition
1.Civilian Honours by Government of India
She was awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously for her contributions in the year 2006.[8]
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 at the bathroom in her home. Though she was operated on, her condition suddenly worsened due to pneumonia, probably a complication of asthma she suffered for a long time, and she went into a deep coma a day before she died. She was cremated with full state honours the same day at Besant Negar Crematorium.
Memorial
An open stage named Thiruvarangu was built in 2018 at her native place Chittur-Tathamangalam in her memory.[18][19]
