P. A. Periyanayaki

P. A. Periyanayaki
Born(1927-04-14)14 April 1927
Thiruvadhigai, Panruti, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu
Died1990 (aged 62–63)
NationalityIndian
Known forPlayback Singer, actress
ParentMother: Adhilakshmi

P. A. Periyanayaki (14 April 1927 – 1990) was an Indian playback singer and actress who worked mainly in Tamil-language films. She also performed stage concerts as a Carnatic singer.

Early life

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She hails from Thiruvadhigai near Panruti.[1] Her mother Adhilakshmi was a singer and was fondly called "Panruti Ammal" Periyanayaki is the youngest of Adhilakshmi's 3 children. Others are Balasubramanian and Rajamani. Adhilakshmi went to Sri Lanka with her 3 children and was performing music concerts there. When her health deteriorated, she returned to India with her children and settled in Chennai.

Periyanayaki studied up to 7th Standard in the C. S. M. School at Thiruvallikeni.[2]

Film career

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In 1940, Periyanayaki's sister P. A. Rajamani got a chance to act in a Tamil film Urvashiyin Kadhal. P. A. Periyanayaki also got the chance to act and sing in that film[1] as a heavenly maiden. So she had to leave the school and had to go to Salem with her mother.

Periyanayaki trained in Carnatic music from her mother and from Pathamadai Sundara Iyer. She performed stage concerts.

She had a captivating voice and singing talent. Therefore, she was able to enter the Tamil Cinema.

In 1941 AVM produced a full-length comedy film Sabapathy. Periyanayaki performs a stage Carnatic music concert as a scene in the film. Apart from that, she sang 2 songs in this film.

She featured in Dharma Veeran (1941), En Manaivi (1942), Manonmani (1942), Panchamirtham (1942), Prabhavathi (1942), Sivalinga Satchi (1942), Mahamaya (1944), Vichitra Vanitha (1947), Vedhala Ulagam (1948), Geetha Gandhi (1949), Krishna Bakthi (1949) and Koondukili (1954).

She lent voice to heroine Rukmini in Sri Valli in 1945 for the first time as a playback singer. She sang all the songs overnight and the technicians had to work round the clock to get them ready for the film.[1]

She featured as Narada in Rukmangadhan and as Satyabhama in Krishna Bakthi.

She featured as the heroine in Ekambavanan (1947).

Some of her songs

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  • Thiruvadi Malarale – Raga: Desh, Film: Prabhavathi
  • Thirumaadhu Valar Ponnaadu, Vellimalaikedhiraai Vilangum Ezhumalaiyaan – Film: Prabhavathi
  • Yen Manam Kavarndha – Film: Lavanya (1951) Music: S. V. Venkatraman
  • Jeeviya Bhagyame, Vettunda Kaigal, Kanniye Maamari Thaaye, Arul Thaarum Deva Mathaave – Film: Gnana Soundari (1948), Music: S. V. Venkatraman
  • Chinthai Arindhu Vaadi – Film: Sri Valli, Lyricist: Papanasam Sivan, Music: R. Sudarsanam
  • Neeli Magan Nee Allavo – Raga: Karaharapriya, Film: Malaikkallan
  • Jeeva Oliyaaga – Film: Paithiyakaran, (playback for T. A. Mathuram)

Filmography

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As Singer/Actress

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Year Film Role Director Banner Remarks
1940 Urvashiyin Kadhal C. V. Raman Parimala Pictures
Modern Theatres
First film
1940 Uthama Puthiran T. R. Sundaram Modern Theatres
1941 Dharma Veeran B. Sampathkumar Modern Theatres
1942 En Manaivi Sundar Rao Nadkarni AVM Productions not credited in the film
Manonmani T. R. Sundaram Modern Theatres
Panchamirtham Jithan Banerji Balaji-Eswar Films
Sivalinga Satchi S. Nodani Modern Theatres
1944 Mahamaya T. R. Raghunath Jupiter Pictures
Prabhavathi Kurathi T. R. Raghunath Krishna Pictures
1946 Sakata Yogam R. Padmanaban R. Padmanaban
1947 Ekambavanan B. N. Rao Saravanabhava Pictures Heroine against Kothamangalam Seenu
1947 Vichitra Vanitha K. Subramanyam Madras United Artists Corporation
1948 Vedhala Ulagam A. V. Meiyappan AVM Productions
1949 Geetha Gandhi Sarada K. Subramanyam Madras United Artists Corporation
Krishna Bakthi Satyabhama R. S. Mani Krishna Pictures
1954 Koondukili T. R. Ramanna R. R. Pictures

As Playback singer

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Guy, Randor (28 December 2007). "Sri Valli – 1945". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 August 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  2. ^ "இசைக்குயில் பி. ஏ. பெரியநாயகி" [Music Cuckoo P. A. Periyanayaki]. Pesum Padam (in Tamil): 10–14. February 1948.
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Songs in her very first film Urvashiyin Kadhal