What’s common between Yevan di unna pethan, Voda voda and Excuse me Mr Kandhasamy?
All three songs are super hits and what’s more, the actors are their own playback singers. However, not just these, there are a number of songs in Kollywood flicks that have been sung by heroes recently and have been loved by the audience.
Take for example; Dhanush’s number in Mayakkam Enna, Voda voda, it has been topping the list of super hits.
Talking about choosing playback singing, Dhanush, who is also likely to croon for Aishwarya’s flick Three, says, “If the song sounds good, and the music clicks, then why not give it a shot? After all, it’s the entire package that will make an impact.”
Simbu, whose songs like Loosu Penne and recently, Yevan di unna pethan, were sensational hits, was even asked to sing a Hindi version of the song!
He says, “Music directors seem to think my voice is unique and that’s my USP. The music company, Venus, was extremely pleased with the results and wanted a Hindi version of it. So we decided to release a video album of the single track.”
Having lent his voice to the Hindi version, Simbu, who has never sung in Hindi, says, “I tried to understand the lyrics during the recording and though I’m not too comfortable with the language, I’m sure I’ll perfect it in future.”
For the actor, playback singing is opening another venue for his talent. He muses, “It’s like pocket money, so I don’t mind lending my voice to songs. And I am not egoistic, so I don’t mind singing for other heroes as well.”
Music directors say that over the years, the factors that allow a voice to make its way to the singing studio has changed. These days, directors are going for unconventional voices and are not so rigid when it comes to choosing singers.
James Vasanthan, who has given a few actors an opportunity to sing for the films he composed music for says, “The track has to be musically good and the voice must suit the mood of the song. Audiences love to listen to their favourite stars sing and that’s the biggest USP. The quality of music has changed over the years and our duty as composers is to follow the trend.”
