From duet with Yesudas’s father to silver screen stardom: Remembering AIR artist CS Radhadevi

Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran playback singer, early film and theatre actress and All India Radio artist C S Radhadevi (93) passed away on Monday afternoon at her Malikappurakkal house on Uppalam Road, Statue, Thiruvananthapuram. The funeral was held at the Puthenkotta crematorium.

Radhadevi entered the playback singing and acting fields in 1944. She was introduced to the acting field by Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair and to the singing field by Thirunainar Kurichi Madhavan Nair. She was the second heroine in the film 'Stree' in which Thikkurissi acted. She has sung playback in 14 films.

She acted in about ten films in Tamil and Malayalam. She was a member of the Film Censor Board. She has received the honorary membership of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, the Guru Pooja Award, the Tagore Jayanti Award, the Government Film Award for Comprehensive Contribution, and the Natyagriham Award. She was active in All India Radio for more than sixty years.

Her husband is late N Narayanan Nair, Assistant Registrar, University of Kerala.

Son: N Nandagopan (Retd. Coirfed). Daughter-in-law: B K Lakshmi. Granddaughter Ann Malikappurakkal is an associate director and actress. C S Subhadra (Kannamma), who gave voice to Bhargavi, played by Vijayanirmala in Basheer's film 'Bhargavi Nilayam', is her sister.

In front of the camera and behind the mic

C S Radhadevi, who passed away on Monday, was an artist who made her mark in the film industry as an actor, playback singer, and dubbing artist. She later became a leading artiste on All India Radio. Later, she also tried her hand in serials and dramas.

Radhadevi started her career at the age of 13 by acting in a play by T N Gopinathan Nair. Her father, Sivashankara Pillai was initially opposed to her daughter's film acting. Her cousin Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair encouraged her to do so. In 1944, she appeared as a child actress in the films 'Yachakamohini' and 'Ambikapathi' (Tamil).

In 1948, she played the second heroine in the film 'Stree' starring Thikkurissi. When Thirunainar Kurichi Madhavan Nair, who had introduced Radhadevi to the playback singing scene, took her to Maryland Studios, Kamukara Purushothaman was there to sing.

Radhadevi first sang in the 1950 film 'Nallathanka' with music by V Dakshinamoorthy, along with Yesudas' father Augustine Joseph. She sang playback in 14 films including 'Avakashi', 'Harischandra', 'Mantravadi', 'Patatha Painkili', 'Randidangazhi', 'Poothali' and 'Bhaktakuchela'. Most of them were duets with Kamukara. Brother Lakshmanan was the music director.

The song 'Thumbapoo Peyyana Poonilave...' was composed by Thirunainar Kurichi for Veeraraghavan Nair's play 'Thoovalum Thumbayum'. Later, producer Maryland Subramaniam decided to use it in the film 'Randidangazhi'. Kamukara and Radhadevi were chosen to sing. When Radhadevi reached the studio after days of rehearsal, she found that someone else was singing the song with Kamukara - KPAC Sulochana. She kept the sense of loss in her mind with more pain than the excellence of the songs she sang.

Kalanilayam Krishnan Nair was the one who led her to All India Radio. He has been a permanent artist since the establishment of All India Radio in 1949. Jagathy N K Achari, Veeraraghavan Nair, Shyamalayam Krishnan Nair, K G Devaki Amma and T P Radhamani were her colleagues. Meanwhile, Radhadevi, who entered the dubbing scene, has lent her voice in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films. She lent her voice to Sujatha in the Malayalam film 'Aana Valarthiya Vanambadi' and to Saradha in the film 'Kadal'.

She also lent her voice to characters in the films 'Seetha', 'Gnanasundari', 'Snapakayohannan' and 'Bhaktakuchela'. Radhadevi, who worked in the professional theatre industry, played the lead role in the play 'Ballatha Pahayan' directed by actor Bahadur.

Radhadevi passed away leaving behind memories of working with Yesudas, M G Radhakrishnan, Neyyattinkara Vasudevan, and Cherthala Gopalan Nair.