With Machattu Vasanthi’s death, Malayalam film music has lost another voice from its golden age

Though not a prolific singer, Machattu Vasanthi had a sweet voice.

Machattu Vasanthi, who died in Kozhikode aged 81, wasn’t a prolific playback singer in Malayalam cinema, but she had an extremely sweet, pleasing voice.

She breathed her last at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital on Sunday (October 13, 2024).

Vasanthi was best known for her melodic duet with Yesudas, Manimaran thannath, for the classic film Olavum Theeeravum directed by P.N. Menon. It was a significant film in the history of Malayalam cinema. It took moviemaking out of the studio and bridged the gap between art and commerce.

The 1970 film’s script was written by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, who, Vasanthi once said, recommended her to music director M.S. Baburaj. The song, which had lovely lyrics by P. Bhaskaran, continues to be popular.

It was Baburaj that had introduced her to Malayalam cinema with the 1957 film Minnaminungu, which also marked his debut as a composer. He made her also sing in the 1965 film Ammu.

But it was Maninmaran thannath that gave Vasanthi her first hit. Or rather, the only hit of her career in films. Decades later, she sang a song in the 2002 hit film Meesa Madhavan (Pathiri chuttu).

Vasanthi, who was born in Kannur, also sang in theatre. When she was 13, she had sung the popular song Pachappanam thathe live on stage for an actress for a production of Nammalonnu. That timeless melody was also tuned by Baburaj; it was originally recorded in the voice of Bhageerathi and Kozhikode Abdul Khader.

Vasanthi, however, used to sing it regularly in her live shows. With her death, Malayalam film music has lost another voice from its golden age.

Published - October 14, 2024 12:46 pm IST