S.P. Balasubrahmanyam

Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam (4 June 1946 – 25 September 2020), universally known as SPB or Balu, was one of the greatest playback singers in the history of Indian cinema. Born in Nellore, Madras Province (present-day Andhra Pradesh), into a family with strong musical roots — his father S.P. Sambamurthy was a Harikatha artist — SPB’s voice became the defining sound of South Indian cinema for over five decades.

Despite initially pursuing engineering, his passion for music led him to his debut in the 1966 Telugu film “Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna”, composed by his mentor S.P. Kodandapani. From there, SPB went on to sing in an astonishing 16 languages, recording over 40,000 songs across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, and other languages — a feat that earned him a place in the Guinness World Records.

SPB’s iconic collaborations with composer Ilaiyaraaja produced some of Tamil cinema’s most beloved songs. He was equally at home singing for Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and countless other leading actors. His voice lent magic to timeless hits across generations. He also worked as a television presenter, actor, music composer, dubbing artist, and film producer.

His extraordinary contributions earned him six National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer, the Padma Shri (2001), the Padma Bhushan (2011), and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously, 2021). He was named Indian Film Personality of the Year at the 47th International Film Festival of India in 2016. SPB passed away on September 25, 2020, in Chennai from complications related to COVID-19, leaving behind a musical legacy unmatched in Indian cinema.