P. Susheela

P. Suseela
Susheela in 2014
Born
Pulapaka Suseela

(1935-11-13) 13 November 1935 (age 88)
Vizianagaram, Vizianagaram Estate, British India (present-day Andhra Pradesh, India)
Other namesEvergreen Nightingale of Indian cinema
Gaana Kokila
Gaana Saraswathi
Melody Queen
Ghandarva Gayaki
Alma materAndhra University
Occupations
  • Singer
  • musician
Years active1951–present
Known for
Spouse
Mohan Rao
​
​
(m. 1957; died 1990)​
Children1
AwardsFull list
Honours
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals, Veena
Websitepsusheela.org

Pulapaka Suseela (born 13 November 1935) is an Indian playback singer from Andhra Pradesh associated with the South Indian cinema for over six decades and is referred to as the "Evergreen Nightingale of Indian cinema". She is one of the greatest and best-known playback singers in India. She has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as well as by the Asia Book of Records for performing a record number of songs in different Indian languages.[1] She is also the recipient of five National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer and numerous state awards.[2][3] Susheela is widely acclaimed as a singer who defined feminism[4] in South Indian cinema and is well known for her mellifluous[5][6] vocal performances[7] for over 50,000 (counted as per records) film and devotional songs[8] across South Indian languages.

The song "Naalai Intha Velai"[9] from Tamil film Uyarndha Manidhan brought her the first award at the 16th National Film Awards,[10][11] by winning her the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 1969. Susheela became the first female singer in the country to win the national award. She is also considered one of the rich voiced singers whose pronunciation of the syllables are to be very clear and precise in any of the languages she sang.[12] In a career spanning more than six decades, she has recorded nearly 17695 songs in various Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Sanskrit, Tulu, and Badaga. She has also sung for Sinhalese films. Her mother tongue is Telugu. She can also speak Tamil fluently, with a little knowledge of Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada.

  1. ^ Naig, Udhav (29 March 2016). "P. Susheela enters Guinness World Records". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Happy Birthday PSusheela". IndiaGlitz.com. 13 November 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  3. ^ "About". The Southern Nightingale.
  4. ^ Amanda Weidman. "South Asian Popular Culture Voices of Meenakumari: Sound, meaning, and self-fashioning in performances of an item number".
  5. ^ "Voice defying age". The Hindu. 14 April 2006. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014.
  6. ^ "A well composed tribute to a veteran singer". The Hindu. 17 March 2009.
  7. ^ "Accent is on novelty". The Hindu. 18 May 2001. Archived from the original on 17 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Melody Queen P. Susheela - Interviews". psusheela.org.
  9. ^ Dore, Shalini (19 July 2013). "Tamil Songwriter Vaali Dies at 83". Variety.
  10. ^ "Sixteenth National Awards For Films" (PDF). 13 February 1970. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2012.
  11. ^ Times of India, Entertainment. "National Awards Winners 1968: Complete list of winners of National Awards 1968". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Melody Queen P. Susheela - About Smt. P. Susheela". psusheela.org.