Peerlessness is her Prefix - P Susheela (Part 1)

The abstract import of artistes such as P Susheela is ageless, timeless and definition defying.  Therefore let us treat this article as an excuse, yet another opportunity to portray and elucidate the peerless attributes of this  phenomenon on what in earthly terms is known as Birthday, her Birthday, November 13th.  Yes, our connection to Mother Earth needs to be intermittently referenced lest  we should forget our true domicile status on this planet and take our  celestial sojourns this voice takes us to,  as our permanent abode. 

  

    First of all, let us imbibe this simple truth, she defined playback singing as far as South Indian Films were concerned.  Playback singing as we have learnt now involves perfect portrayal of the innermost sentiments of the character on whom the song is picturized. The natural corollary is that any technicality incorporated within the tune such as rolls, shakes i.e. sangathis, every word sung out, the curves and glides need, to be put through in a manner befitting the character of the beautiful heroine on the screen. Any special efforts taken to sing a brigha or a sangathi however difficult they are, will render the song seem more technicality orientated ,flipping the listener out of the mood, thus impairing the primary  attribute a film song should possess, emotions.  P. Susheela’s singing regardless of how technically complex or brigha ridden the song was, ensured none of  the technical aspects overrode the character based emotional throughput  of the song. That was primarily because of her effortlessness in producing sangathis which  naturally remained within the emotional confines of the song and  never stuck out, however complex they may be. Several stage singers therefore discover much to their consternation, several  unobtrusively peppered sangathis and a song that seemed a proverbial cake walk, becomes unnegotiable. Several of the current crop of singers have admitted that the safest place to sing P Susheela’s songs is within the safety of the four walls of home.  Her singing process involved establishing a thematic tonal quality that served as the bed spread for the entire song to ride on and with all the above mentioned attributes, her singing thus sat pat on the lips of the beautiful heroine,  a visual translation of the aural treat. 

        Penn State University in USA had conducted a research on Playback singing in Indian Films and came to the conclusion that Lata Mangeshkar up North and P. Susheela Down South had defined feminity as it was required in Films.  P. Susheela defined feminity in the early 50s and into the late 50s had portrayed all moods, right from demure disposition  to rumbustiousness, inebriation, wild romance and the “vampishly”  romantic jabs as well, especially in Telugu.  

      Furthermore, it is often stated that “open” singing smothers subtlety and with it, nuanced sangathis, and on the other hand subtle singing can take away the impact and the “punch” in singing. P Susheela’s voice was bold when it suited the cinema situation and could yet reel off nuanced passages with “rolls and shakes” while being bright and bold, voice of a kind was it, with this dichotomous nature !!!!