P. A. Periyanayaki (14 April 1927 – 1990) was an Indian playback singer and actress who worked mainly in

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

-language films. She also performed stage concerts as a Carnatic singer.

Early life

She hails from Thiruvadhigai near

Panruti Panruti is a developing city, municipality and taluk headquarters of Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Panruti is located between Cuddalore and Neyveli. Panruti is famous for jackfruits and cashew nuts. The jackfruit grown here is exporte ...

. Her mother Adhilakshmi was a singer and was fondly called "Panruti Ammal" Periyanayaki is the youngest of Adhilakshmi's 3 children. Others are Balasubramanian and Rajamani. Adhilakshmi went to

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

with her 3 children and was performing music concerts there. When her health deteriorated, she returned to India with her children and settled in

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

. Periyanayaki studied up to 7th Standard in the C. S. M. School at Thiruvallikeni.

Film career

In 1940, Periyanayaki's sister P. A. Rajamani got a chance to act in a Tamil film Urvashiyin Kadhal. P. A. Periyanayaki also got the chance to act and sing in that film as a heavenly maiden. So she had to leave the school and had to go to Salem with her mother. Periyanayaki trained in Carnatic music from her mother and from Pathamadai Sundara Iyer. She performed stage concerts. She had a captivating voice and singing talent. Therefore, she was able to enter the Tamil Cinema. In 1941 AVM produced a full-length comedy film

Sabapathy ''Sabapathy'' is a 1941 Indian Tamil-language comedy film directed by A. V. Meiyappan and A. T. Krishnaswamy, and produced by Meiyappan. An adaptation of Pammal Sambandha Mudaliar's farce play of the same name, the film stars T. R. Ramachand ...

. Periyanayaki performs a stage Carnatic music concert as a scene in the film. Apart from that, she sang 2 songs in this film. She featured in Dharma Veeran (1941), En Manaivi (1942),

Manonmani ''Manonmani'' ( ta, மனோன்மணி) is a 1942 Indian Tamil-language film directed by T. R. Sundaram. It starred P. U. Chinnappa, T. R. Rajakumari, Serukalathur Sama, T. S. Balaiah, T. R. Mahalingam, K. K. Perumal, A. Sakunthala, N ...

(1942),

Panchamirtham ''Panchamirtham'' is 2008 Tamil-language fantasy comedy film scripted and directed by Raju Eswaran, it stars Jayaram, Prakash Raj and the director himself alongside an ensemble supporting cast including Nassar, Aravind Akash, Regina Cassandra, S ...

(1942), Prabhavathi (1942),

Sivalinga Satchi ''Sivalinga Satchi'' is a 1942 Indian Tamil-language film directed by S. Nottani. The film was produced by Modern Theatres. Cast * Ganesha Bhagavathar * Kali N. Rathnam * T. S. Durairaj * C. T. Rajakantham * P. A. Periyanayaki P. A. Periyana ...

(1942), Mahamaya (1944), Vichitra Vanitha (1947),

Vedhala Ulagam ''Vedhala Ulagam'' () is a 1948 Indian Tamil language, Tamil-language fantasy film directed and produced by A. V. Meiyappan, and written by P. Neelakantan. Adapted from the play of the same name by Pammal Sambandha Mudaliar, the film stars T. R ...

(1948),

Geetha Gandhi ''Geetha Gandhi'' () is a 1949 Indian, Tamil-language film produced and directed by Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam. The film stars T. R. Ramachandran and B. S. Saroja. Plot Subbaiyer is an old man whose granddaughter, Girija is studying in Annama ...

(1949),

Krishna Bakthi ''Krishna Bhakthi'' () is a 1949 Tamil-language historical musical film, directed by R. S. Mani, and produced by S. N. Laxmana Chettiar. The film stars P. U. Chinnappa and T. R. Rajakumari as a hypocrite saint and chaste court dancer respect ...

(1949) and Koondukili (1954). She lent voice to heroine Rukmini in Sri Valli in 1945 for the first time as a playback singer. She sang all the songs overnight and the technicians had to work round the clock to get them ready for the film. She featured as

Narada Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...

in Rukmangadhan and as

Satyabhama Satyabhama, also known as Satrajiti, is a Hindu goddess and the third queen-consort of the Hindu god Krishna. Satyabhama is described as the incarnation of Bhudevi, the goddess and the personification of the earth. She aided Krishna in defeati ...

. She featured as the heroine in

Ekambavanan ''Ekambavanan'' is a 1947 Indian, Tamil-language film directed by B. N. Rao and T. V. Krishnaswami. The film featured Kothamangalam Seenu and P. A. Periyanayaki in the lead roles. Cast * Kothamangalam Seenu * K. Sarangapani * S. V. Subbaiah ...

(1947).

Some of her songs

* Thiruvadi Malarale – Raga: Desh, Film: Prabhavathi * ''Thirumaadhu Valar Ponnaadu, Vellimalaikedhiraai Vilangum Ezhumalaiyaan'' – Film: Prabhavathi * ''Yen Manam Kavarndha'' – Film: Lavanya (1951) Music: S. V. Venkatraman * ''Jeeviya Bhagyame'', ''Vettunda Kaigal, Kanniye Maamari Thaaye, Arul Thaarum Deva Mathaave'' – Film: Gnana Soundari (1948), Music: S. V. Venkatraman * ''Chinthai Arindhu Vaadi'' – Film: Sri Valli, Lyricist:

Papanasam Sivan Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema ...

, Music: R. Sudarsanam * ''Neeli Magan Nee Allavo'' – Raga: Karaharapriya, Film:

Malaikkallan ''Malaikkallan'' () is a 1954 Indian Tamil-language action film starring P. Bhanumathi and M. G. Ramachandran. The film was released on 22 July 1954, and was an astounding success and highest collection of the year. It ran more than 140 days in ...

* ''Jeeva Oliyaaga'' – Film: Paithiyakaran, (playback for T. A. Mathuram)

Filmography

As Singer/Actress

As Playback singer

References

External links

Songs by P. A. Periyanayaki
* ;Songs in her very first film Urvashiyin Kadhal * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Periyanayaki, P. A. 1927 births 1990 deaths Carnatic singers Actresses in Tamil cinema Indian women playback singers Tamil playback singers Indian women classical singers 20th-century Indian actresses 20th-century Indian singers People from Cuddalore district Tamil actresses Singers from Tamil Nadu Actresses from Tamil Nadu 20th-century Indian women singers Women musicians from Tamil Nadu Actresses in Malayalam cinema Actresses in Telugu cinema