Renowned playback singer P Jayachandran passed away

Kerala:10/1/25:Renowned playback singer P Jayachandran, affectionately called Bhava Gayakan for his soulful renditions that beautifully expressed emotions such as love, longing, and devotion, passed away on Thursday evening at a private medical college in Kerala’s Thrissur. He was 80. The singer died at around 7.55 pm on Thursday while undergoing treatment, hospital sources said. He was taken to the hospital after collapsing at his residence on Thursday, they said. He had been unwell for quite some time.

The singer, who recorded over 16,000 songs in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, was widely recognised for his contribution to Indian music, having won several awards for a best playback singer.

He was honoured with the National Film Award and the Kerala government’s J C Daniel Award for his outstanding contribution to cinema. Additionally, he won Kerala State Film Awards five times and Tamil Nadu State Film Awards twice. His performance of Shiva Shankara Sharana Sarva Vibho from the film Sree Narayana Guru earned him the National Award.

Born on March 3, 1944, in Ernakulam, Jayachandran belonged to a royal family. He was exposed to music by his father, who was a great music lover. He started with percussion instruments such as chenda and mridangam. He did his schooling at Paliyam School and Irinjalakuda National High School. He was an outstanding student in music competitions, often sharing the stage with the legendary KJ Yesudas.

A Breakthrough In Malayalam Cinema

Jayachandran’s entry into playback singing came in 1965 with the song Oru Mullappoomalayumaayi for the film Kunhalimarikkar. Though the film was delayed, his talent caught the attention of music director G Devarajan, and he made his official debut with Manjalayil Mungi Thorthi in Kalithozhan. The song became a monumental hit, setting the stage for his prolific career.

After being away for over a decade, Jayachandran returned in 1999 with the song Prayam Nammil from the film Niram. His return confirmed his unmatched talent vocally and won over a new generation of music lovers.

In the Tamil film arena, Jayachandran also had some path-breaking associations with Ilayaraja and AR Rahman, churning out scintillating melodies that will never be forgotten in their lifetime. His contributions to Tamil music did nothing but confirm his status as a pan-Indian legend.

Music World Beyond Cinema

Jayachandran had forayed into non-film music too. Some of his notable light melodies include Onnini Sruthi Thazhthi and Smrithithan Chirakileri Njan. His music albums like Onninumallathe Enthino Thonniyorishtam reflected the creative depth that went beyond the silver screen.

Jayachandran is survived by his wife Lalitha, daughter Lakshmi, and son Dinanathan who is also a prominent personality in the music field.