Kalyani Menon

Kalyani Menon (05 July 1941 – 2 August 2021) was an Indian playback singer who worked in the Indian film industry. After beginning her career in the 1970s as a classical singer, Kalyani established a parallel career as a singer in the film industry and worked extensively with A. R. Rahman during the late 1990s and early 2000s. She was awarded the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 2008 and the Kalaimamani Award in 2010.

Career Kalyani Menon learned classical music from M. R. Sivaraman Nair and made a mark as a classical vocalist, before gradually branching out into singing for films. An early Malayalam film song which garnered her acclaim was "Kanneerin Mazhayathum" for composer M. S. Baburaj in Ramu Kariat’s Dweepu (1977). She began working in Madras during 1977, through Dhananjayan’s Malayalam dance drama Magdalana Mariyam that was choreographed as part of the Vallathol Centenary celebrations. Kalyani sang Vallathol Narayana Menon’s lines that were set to tune by the Dhananjayan. Her first film song in Tamil was with composer Ilaiyaraaja for the song "Sevvaaname Ponmegame" from K. Balaji’s Nallathoru Kudumbam (1979) and the track found frequent airtime. The song "Nee Varuvaaiyena" from Sujatha (1980) and "Thanniya Potta Sandhosham Pirakkum" from Savaal (1981), both composed by M. S. Viswanathan became a major hit and boosted her career.

Balaji continued to ensure that Kalyani sang in some of his films in the early 1980s such as "Aei Rajave Un Rajathi" from Vazhvey Maayam (1982) and the reflective "Vidhi Varaindha Padhai Vazhiye" from Vidhi (1984). Kalyani also sang other popular songs in the period such as "Naan Iravil Ezhuthum Kavithai Muzhuthum" from Suba Muhoortham (1983) and "Theril Vandhaal Devadhai" from an unreleased film called Mookuthi Meengal. Her husband was K.K. Menon, an officer in Indian Navy, who died of a heart attack in 1978, leaving her a widow at the age of 37. She was the mother of Rajiv Menon, who has worked in Indian films as a cinematographer and director and Karun Menon IRAS, a senior Civil Services officer who currently works with the Indian Railways. Rajiv became acquainted with music composer A. R. Rahman and worked with him on commercial and film projects as a result of the composer's music work with Kalyani. As a mark of respect, when the audio cassette of Rajiv Menon's Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) was released in a grand function, Kalyani Menon was called to receive the first cassette from Kamal Haasan. Kalyani had also made a brief appearance in the film as Aishwarya Rai’s music tutor.

Notable discography Year Song title Film Music director Notes 1979 "Sevvaaname Ponmegame" Nallathoru Kudumbam Ilayaraja 1980 "Nee Varuvaaiyena" Sujatha M. S. Viswanathan 1984 "Rhithubedha Kalpana" Mangalam Nerunnu Ilayaraja 1994 "Vaadi Saathukodi" Pudhiya Mannargal A. R. Rahman 1994 "Indiraiyo Ival Sundariyo" Kaadhalan A. R. Rahman 1994 "Alala Vale Vaana Varada Vale" Kaadhalan - (D) Telugu A. R. Rahman 1995 "Kuluvalile" Muthu A. R. Rahman 2000 "Alaipayuthey" Alaipayuthey A. R. Rahman 2000"Raara Venu"Mister ButlerVidyasagar 2001 "Adhisaya Thirumanam" Paarthale Paravasam A. R. Rahman 2004 "Chentharmizhi" Perumazhakkalam M. Jayachandran 2004"Hara Hara"RasikanVidyasagar2003"Ninakkum Nilavil"Mullavalliyum ThenmavumOuseppachan 2008 "Jalashayyayil" Laptop Sreevalsan J. Menon 2010 "Omana Penne" Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa A. R. Rahman Also co-lyricist 2010 "Kundanapu Bomma" Ye Maaya Chesave A. R. Rahman Also co-lyricist 2012 "Phoolon Jaisi Ladki" Ekk Deewana Tha A. R. Rahman Also co-lyricist 2018 "Kathale Kathale" 96 Govind Vasantha