Venkat Raman –
Two popular playback singers of South Indian cinema will be in Auckland to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Muthamil Sangam in June.
They are married couple, rare, among a handful of husband-wife team.
MJ Shriram and Srilekha Parthasarathy will be the star attraction at the celebrations scheduled to be held at Dorothy Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls Grammar School, 16 Howe Street, Freemans Bay in Auckland on June 5, 2016.
The event is a major achievement for Muthamil Sangam which conducts a few regular activities, although not on the scale that it did a few years ago. The Association has modest financial resources and does not enjoy overwhelming generosity of sponsors and advertisers but promotes programmes to preserve Tamil culture and values.
Tamil Nadu has a rich heritage and Tamil-speaking people are passionate about their language and culture. Hence, programmes that are well-organised to promote these aspects of the community would find public patronage and interest.
Pride & Partnership
That said, the forthcoming 15th Anniversary celebrations should instill a sense of pride and spirit of partnership and participation among the small population of people from Tamil Nadu in Auckland. The Sangam will do well to persuade the dissenting members and former members to reunite for the good of Tamilians and their language and culture. The time to forget the differences of the past and become a part of the whole is now. On its part, the Sangam should also become more responsible and responsive, apart from being more inclusive.
The Tamilian community in New Zealand is too small to afford fragmentation.
That said, we look forward with pleasure to the event on June 5, 2016.
MJ Shriram
Shriram is a singer as well as actor and interior designer.
He began his journey in music when he was five years old and has since participated in a number of competitions, cultural programmes and stage shows in Tamil Nadu, other parts of India and overseas.
“Singing is my passion and any type of music energies my mind, soul and body. Winning the Best Singer Award at the Chennai based Loyola College in 1988-1989 was the biggest motivation and inspiration. I have never had an occasion to look back since then,” he said.
The most impressionable incident occurred in his career in 1993 when Kamal Hassan, one of the greatest stars of Tamil Cinema gave him an opportunity to perform with him at a stage show in Singapore in 1993. Thereafter, he began singing with chorus in film songs and soon grew to become a solo singer.
In 1996, he established his own group called ‘Shri Raham,’ and has more than 6500 stage performances as a singer in India, Singapore and Malaysia and over 750 shows as a group.
His foray as an actor began with a television serial jointly produced by Television Corporation Singapore and Vaishnavi Films Chennai, for Singapore Television.
Many others followed, popular among them being, ‘Kanakanden Thozhi’ and ‘Krishna Cottage.’
His association with the film industry has been eventful with ‘Sivakaasi,’ starring ‘Ilaya Thalapathi’ Vijay becoming a major success at the box-office.
He has recorded two songs for ‘Paccha Kudhira.’
Srilekha Parthasarathy
Born and raised in Delhi, Srilekha Parthasarathy has been a singer since her formative years. She learnt Carnatic, Hindustani and Western Classical Music from renowned masters and is proud of her multilingual talent which accounts for 16 languages.
Her professional journey in music began with jingles and albums which included ‘Mehndi Ki Raat’, ‘Mehndi Ni Mehndi’, ‘Punjabi Non-stop’ in Punjabi and others.
‘Dina Dhorum Vaanguven Idhayam,’ a commercial for ‘Idhayam Oil’ picturised on Tamil actress ‘Jothika’ introduced her to the Tamil music industry.
Many more advertisements followed, including ‘Idhayam Dots’ ‘Chennai Silks,’ Sakthi Masala’s ‘Suvaya Manama’, Saravana Stores’ ‘Vittaacchu Vittaacchu’, Mohe Bhool Gaye Saavariya’(Hindi) for Britannia, Jeyyam Paruppu (Daal), Jeyachandran Textiles, Shanti Coconut Oil, Anbu Silks, and ‘Vidha Vidhamaai’ Khazaana Jewellers.
Turning Point
Music Director ‘Harris Jeyaraj’ launched her as a playback singer in films with ‘Yedho Onru’ for the movie ‘Laysa Laysa’.
“The swing kept moving with various other hits like ‘Poo Mugam Siricha’ (‘Junction’) ‘Kaadhalaagi’ with S P Balasubrahmanyam (‘Popcorn’), ‘Don’t worry be Happy’ (‘Whistle’) and ‘Sutthi Sutthi Varuven’ (‘Sena’). The swing took a leap with the Blockbuster hit ‘Kalyanam Dhaan Kattikkittu’ (‘Saamy’) which topped all the music charts in the Tamil film industry,” Srilekha said.
Indian Newslink will profile Muthamil Sangam highlighting its literary and cultural programmes including Tamil classes, Tamil Radio, Pongal, Tamil New Year, Deepavali and other festivals in the ensuing issues. We will also bring you more information on the 15th Anniversary celebrations and the visiting playback singers.
Muthamil Sangam extols women and children
(Picture taken during Tenth Anniversary celebrations)
