Watch: Madras Day | Why Chennai is particular for singers Unnikrishnan, Uthara
Unnikrishnan hums the tune of ‘Narumugaiye’ (Iruvar) as he will get prepared for a photoshoot. Uthara walks in and completes it.
At their sea-facing ninth flooring residence on ECR, music is a standard matter of dialogue.
Unnikrishnan and Uthara
| Photograph Credit score:
Thamodharan B
And why not? In 1994, Unnikrishnan received the Nationwide Award for his debut movie music, ‘Ennavale’ in Kaadhalan. Twenty years later, in 2014, his daughter, Uthara Unnikrishnan debuted in movies with the ‘Azhage’ observe in Saivam, which additionally received a Nationwide Award.
Whereas music dominates dialog, the father-duo share different frequent pursuits as properly, like cricket and Chennai. “Town (Madras) made me a musician and the individual I’m as we speak,” says Unnikrishnan, who fondly remembers bus rides on 21C and 12B to get to his college in Santhome.
Uthara, however, enjoys her drive from Muttukadu to her faculty in Nungambakkam virtually each different day. “I really like the ECR and it’s actually peaceable. I get my finest sleep right here,” smiles Uthara, including that she enjoys hanging out with mates at Khader Nawaz Khan Highway.
Unnikrishnan and Uthara
| Photograph Credit score:
Thamodharan B
On a special pitch
Whilst he pursued training and music, a younger Unnikrishnan’s eyes had been set on one factor: changing into a cricketer. “Cricket was all the time my past love,” he says, “I received into Santhome Greater Secondary College due to my cricketing abilities and never attributable to my marks. These two years actually formed my recreation; I subsequently performed for Tamil Nadu Colts and Madras Cricket Membership first division league. I bear in mind enjoying alongside well-known cricketers like Robin Singh, who was so match that he would full two runs even earlier than I may end one. All my first division matches had been at Chepauk, which was an awesome alternative. Even as we speak, I look ahead to unwinding with sports activities.”
Uthara isn’t any stranger to sport, enjoying fairly a little bit of cricket herself too. However she prefers to delve into issues of the thoughts now; she presently research Psychology on the MOP School for Girls. “I hope to mix it with music sometime, and discover music remedy,” she says.
The soar to movies
Within the Madras of the Nineties, when Unnikrishnan was rising in recognition among the many Carnatic music circles, he received his first movie break when AR Rahman provided him a music in Kaadhalan. “Rajiv (Menon) had given him a classical album of mine and when this music thought got here up, Rahman referred to as me up. It was difficult to make that call – whether or not or to not sing that music – as a result of I used to be completely into Carnatic live shows and was apprehensive whether or not singing a movie music would have an effect on that. I then determined to present it a shot.”
That shot earned Unnikrishnan fame and helped him bag the Nationwide Award, which motivated him to do higher. “I wished to show myself in each Carnatic and movie music. It was not simple, as a result of Carnatic music critics got here down onerous on my determination to sing a movie music. Somebody even wrote: ‘Kedaram sedaram aayduthu’, referring to the raga utilized in ‘Ennavale’. These had been all phases in my journey, however I used to be certain of what I wished to do.”
Uthara Unnikrishnan in a file picture
Uthara hardly remembers her expertise of recording ‘Azhage’ in 2014. “I bear in mind GV Prakash uncle giving my lyrics and music. I fought so much with my mom about singing it again then!” She shot to the limelight after bagging the Nationwide Award. “But it surely by no means hit me, as a result of my dad and mom let me be and by no means pressured me to do something.”
Charting new waters
The Unnikrishnan household now resides near the ocean, however when Unnikrishnan was a toddler finding out in Asan Memorial and later Santhome Greater Secondary College, Mamallapuram and the highway main there, now the ECR, can be a part of his college excursions. “At present, we now have every little thing right here within the neighbourhood. The views are superb. After a tiring day, all you might want to do is to only look out on the sea….”
Uthra Unnikrishnan and Unnikrishnan in a file picture
They arrive to the town typically to go to their home in Royapettah, the place they’ve lived for a lot of many years. In actual fact, their house there was as soon as the household residence, Kesari Kuteeram, the place Unnikrishnan’s nice grandfather, Dr KN Kesari, lived. “He (Dr KN Kesari) was an ayurvedic doctor and an awesome philanthropist, having based the Kesari Excessive College in Mylapore and T Nagar. He was additionally a patron of the humanities; in actual fact, the Music Academy was functioning briefly in our residence when the present constructing the place it stands was being constructed,” recollects Unnikrishnan.
Unnikrishnan has a want for Chennai: that it comes up with a state-of-the-art conference centre for the humanities. “Chennai is the mecca for classical and movie music. Town has fabulous musicians and it might be nice to have a facility on the strains of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre right here.” Uthara, nonetheless, likes Chennai as is. “It has all the time been my residence. I miss the large roads although; I simply want the Metro Rail building will get achieved rapidly in order that I can drive in peace.”
