Thuguluva Meenatchi Iyengar Sounderarajan (Tamil: டி. எம். சௌந்தரராஜன்; March 24, 1922 - May 25, 2013) was aplayback singer in the Tamil film industry for over six decades. He gave his voice to a galaxy of actors and thespians in the South Indian film industry such as M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, N. T. Rama Rao, Gemini Ganesan, S. S. Rajendran, Jaishankar,Rajkumar, A. Nageswara Rao, RaviChandar, Nagesh, Ranjan, Kantha Rao, T S Balayya, Jagayya, Rajanikanth, Kamal Hasan and a generation of actors from 1946 till 2007. He is popularly known as TMS. In 2010, he also rendered his voice for the Tamil Semmozhi Meet Anthem which was composed by A. R. Rahman. He has sung 10000 film songs from 1946-2013[1] and 3000 devotional songs[2].He also sang Carnatic songs in various concerts of him from 1945-2013.He reigned supreme as the male playback singer in Tamil film industry from 1955-1991.
TM Soundarajan died on 25 May 2013 at his residence in Mandaveli, Chennai due to illness. He was 91 years old at the time of his death.
EARLY LIFE
TMS was born in a Sourashtra community in Madurai and was the second son of Meenatchi Iyengar.[3] He was born in prominent prohitham family and his elder brother was great vedic scholar. He had been training his voice since the age of 7. He first learnt carnatic music from Chinnakonda Sarangapani Bhagavathar, a music teacher from Sourashtra High School, Madurai. Later, he learnt carnatic music from Arayakkudi Rajamani Iyengar for two years and started giving stage concerts at the age of 23.The first carnatic musical presentation at SathGuru Samajam,Madurai in the year 1945 with violinist C.R.Mani and Mridangist S.S.VijayaRatnam. He started singing in stage concerts in the voice of M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar.
He was married at an early age. He lived in his home at Mandaveli, Chennai, Tamil Nadu till his last breath
Early work [edit]
TMS had to really struggle in the beginning to get a breakthrough because he was getting rejected by the music composers and recording technicians because his voice was cracking and showed variation in higher pitches.(Oru Pann-Paattu Sarithiram:Vamanan). Whilst he was working for six months in the house of Sunderlal Natkarni, a director in theCentral Studios, hoping to get a chance and the director recommended to S. M. Subbaiah Naidu to give TMS a singing chance. In 1946, S. M. Subbaiah Naidu gave TMS sing five songs in the style of M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar for the film of P. V. Narasimha Bharathi starrer Krishna Vijayam, though the songs were noteworthy from 1946, the film was released only in 1950. The hit song was Raathey Ennai Vittu Odathedi and he was paid Rs 625 for that. In the same year 1950, G. Ramanathan made him to sing Annamitta Veettiley for an unknown actor in the film Manthiri Kumari. In 1951 TMS acted and sang Theeraatha Thuyaralley as a beggar in Devagi again by G. Ramanathan. In 1952, Susarla Dakshinamurthi gave TMS sang two duet songs in Valayapathi which are Kulir Thaamarai Poigaiyai Kanden and Kulungidum Poovilellaam both with K. Jamuna Rani. TMS had the opportunity to sing songs which wrote by Bharathidasan.Though he first rendered a song for MGR-starrer Mandhirikumari in 1950, the song which announced the arrival of TMS on the big screen was Ethanai kaalamdhaan ematruvar indha naattile.[5]
Even the songs are well received, there was no further chance for TMS. Then TMS came to the HMV studio where K. V. Mahadevan recorded two devotional songs for which he was paid Rs 80. K. V. Mahadevan requested TMS to go seek chance in the AVM Productions which was looking for new voices. TMS sang two songs for the film Chella Pillai. One was solo Podanum Kulla Podanum and the other is a duet with M.S. Rajeswari, Naadu Nadakkira Nadayiley under R.Sudharsanam Master's composition. The film was released only in 1955.These music composers helped and trained the determined and ambitious TMS, who was able to overcome his voice problems to a good degree with time.
In 1954, Maruthakasi recommended TMS to sing in Aruna Pictures Thooku Thookki. Till then C. S. Jayaraman used to sing playback for Sivaji Ganesan and Sivaji doubted the suitability of the voice but TMS was willing to sing three songs free. TMS and Sivaji Ganesan were introduced to each other and in the short conversation TMS studied the voice of Sivaji Ganesan. TMS sang Sundari Soundari and Eratha Malaithaniley, imitating the voice of Sivaji Ganesan to the closest possible. G. Ramanathan who was the music director for this film was so much pleased and gave TMS the chance to sing all the songs for Sivaji Ganesan. All the songs were instant and great hits and TMS became famous overnight.
In the same year, meanwhile T. R. Ramanna and T. R. Rajakumari started the RR Films. As the film Koondukkili was under production stage, TMS was given a chance to sing only chorus. It should be noted that Koondukkili was the only film where MGR and Sivaji acted together. Tanjai Ramayah Dass was very impressed with the golden voice of TMS, and he requested the story and dialogue writer Vindhan to give a chance to sing a full solo. TMS had sung Konjum Kiliyana Pennai under K. V. Mahadevan's composition. That was the first song by TMS for Sivaji Ganesan.
But as the song was recorded MGR heard it, was so much impressed and intended TMS to be his permanent singer. He was used in MGR’s next movie Malaikkallan where TMS sang Ethanai Kaalamthaan Ematruvaar Intha Naattiley written by Tanjai Ramaiyah Dass and composed by S. M. Subbaiah Naidu.
During this period, TMS got opportunity to sing few films films like Vedan Kannappa, Rishi Sringerand Neela Malai Thirudan
Right from the beginning TMS was excellent for imitating the voices for most of the heroes he sang for. From 1955 onward Sivaji insist for TMS singing for him. Since then, TMS was mainly doing the playback for MGR and Sivaji till the end of 1977 and 1995 respectively.
The first musical concert abroad in Malaysia in the year 1957,then continued all over the world almost 50 years till 2007 after which due to health reasons he ocassioanlly sang live on stage.His 2 sons both have same voice of their father and have sung songs of TMS all over the world in film song orchestras from 1980 till 2013 along with their father. He also rendered Carnatic songs in various concerts from 1957-2012.
He was the most popular male playback singer in south India and the 'uncrowned king' in Tamil film industry for playback singing in 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and also in 1980s.
Trivia [edit]
- He has recorded over 10,000 Tamil film songs and 3000 devotional and other language film songs in a career spanning over 6 decades.
- He has also sung in almost all other Indian languages.
'* His first film song was recorded in 1946 and the last film song was recorded in the year 2007(unreleased),'
- Unfortunately after 1991 in the film Ghnaparavai,his film songs were seldom heard by music lovers.
- He is also a music director for most of the devotional songs he sang.
- He had acted in few Tamil films such as Pattinathar, Arunagirinathar, Kallum Kaniyagum & Kaviraja KalaMegham".
- He produced the movie Kallum Kaniyagum along with singer A. L. Ragavan who has also acted in this movie.
- He was the music director for the movie "Bala Parikshai". He has appeared in guest role the movie Devaki and NavaGraha Nayaki,
- He acted also as guest role in Daivam with Dr.Serkhazi and "Pennarasi".as well.
- He has worked with fifty two music directors ranging from S. M. Subbaiah Naidu till A. R. Rahman.
- "Sonia Gandhi became emotional when TMS sang ``Ullam Urugudhaiya at the first anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi's death for which she had come down from Sriperumbudur. ``What do the lines mean, she asked. "My heart melts... she was told. She had just begun walking down the dais but stood transfixed and moved. "Such is the power of TMS's voice and his music. (Muktha Sreenivasan)
