Sinduri Vishal
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
It has been a day since ‘Minikki Minikki’, the first song from actor Vikram starrer Thangalaan directed by Pa Ranjith released. And for Sinduri Vishal, this feels like a moment of reckoning.
“This song is probably the biggest project in my career, in Tamil films,” the playback singer says, over a phone call from Hyderabad. Composed by GV Prakash Kumar, the celebratory folk song has Sinduri playfully crooning, her voice infusing energy into the lyrics by Uma Devi. The lyric video accompanying the song shows the film’s lead actors Vikram and Parvathy partaking in a celebration of sorts.
A still from ‘Thangalaan’
The experience of recording the song, Sinduri says, felt like a ‘happy, chilled out jamming session’ for a little over an hour.
“A few months back, I was called to music composer GV Prakash’s studio to record the song. At that time I had no idea which film it was for. Given how folksy it is, I was asked to work on the tone, and sing in my chest voice,” she recalls. Ranjith and Uma Devi, who were also present at the recording, helped her with the dialect, and she says she was asked to be as expressive with her singing as she wanted to.
While the hook of the song drew her in, Sinduri is all praise for how catchy the song is. “It just sits in your head,” she laughs. Subsequently, she also went on to sing the song in Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi, all the languages the film is releasing in.
‘Minikki Minikki’ might be her big Tamil break, but Sinduri is no stranger to the world of playback singing, having sung over 75 songs in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. While Tamil films Kuttram 23, Oh Manapenne, and more recently, Rathnam, feature songs sung by her, it is her songs in Telugu that have gone on to become huge hits. Sinduri has sung for Sai Pallavi, as the actor danced amidst green fields to ‘Hey Pillagada’ in Fidaa, and later as she walked the streets of a rainwashed Kolkata to ‘Oh my lovely lalana’ in Padi Padi Leche Manasu. Her soothing vocals were also behind one of 2022’s most celebrated duets, ‘Kanunna Kalyanam’ from the blockbuster film Sita Ramam, picturised on the film’s lead actors Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur.
“I would like to believe I have a flair for languages. Even if I don’t fluently speak the language, I am comfortable singing in it,” she says. Having been trained in Carnatic music from a very young age, Sinduri says she was slowly exposed to ghazals, and also went on to learn western classical music. “I love exploring different styles and genres, and am thankful to have sung versatile songs over the last decade. When I go into the studio to sing, I am excited to be able to bring my touch to a composition,” says the singer, who also credits singers Chithra, Bombay Jayashri, and Hariharan as major influences and inspirations.
Parvathy in ‘Thangalaan’
A frequent collaborator with her husband, music composer Vishal Chandrashekhar, Sinduri rues a misconception that she only sings for him, given how their songs together have turned out to be significantly popular. “This is something I hope my song for Thangalaan will help me break. While our songs over the years have been truly special, I am keen on establishing my identity as a singer,” she says. Music was what brought her and Vishal together, and Sinduri, who is also a music supervisor on his team says that she brings forth her strong background in Carnatic music and his forte in western music when they jam together. “We share a great comfort level professionally, and ensure that we don’t interfere in each other’s musical process and decisions,” she adds.
With ‘Minikki Minikki’ already among the top trending songs on YouTube, and having added to the already growing hype for Thangalaan, Sinduri says this year seems promising. “I have some exciting songs coming out, with music composers I deeply admire, that I can’t wait to share,” she says.
