V. N. Sundaram (1918-2009) was an Indian Stage and Film actor, Carnatic singer and Playback singer who sang mostly in Tamil-language films.

Early life

Born in 1918 in Visalur - a village in

Kumbakonam Kumbakonam (formerly spelt as Coombaconum or Combaconum) or Kudanthai is a city municipal corporation in the Thanjavur district in the States of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located from Thanjavur and from Chennai and is the headq ...

Taluk of Thanjavur district, he was named AlasyaSundaram. As a boy he listened to Nadaswaram music during temple festivals and had the ability to repeat the

Raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...

s by voice. He joined Nataraja Gana Saba, a boys' stage troupe, as an actor at the age of 12. But he had to leave the place within 6 months. He was a strict vegetarian. But in the troupe Veg and Non-veg food were cooked. He could not tolerate this and left the troupe. He then joined the ''Madurai Bala Vinodha Sangeetha Sabha'', another boys' stage drama troupe. He was trained by Yadhartham Ponnusamy Pillai and was given Raja part in his 3rd stage play. That play, ''Paduka Pattabhishekam'' was a hit. In order to limit space in the poster, his name was written as V. N. Sundaram. Then onwards he was known by that name.

Actor in films

His first film was

Markandeya Bhargava Markandeya ( sa, मार्कण्‍डेय ) is an ancient rishi (sage) born in the clan of Bhrigu Rishi (Bhargava Brahmins Community). The Markandeya Purana especially, comprises a dialogue between Markandeya and a sage cal ...

released in 1935. He was featured in the title role.

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 ...

composed the song ''paraat paraa'' in the raga Vachaspathi and Sundaram sang that song. It was a hit. Later

M. S. Subbulakshmi Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004) was an Indian Carnatic singer from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. She is ...

sang the song and made it popular.

Pattinathar Pattinathar () is a name identified with two different Tamil individuals, one of 10th century AD and another of 14th century AD. 10th century Pattinathar The 10th century AD Pattinathar was a poet whose five works are included in the sacred Sha ...

(1936) film featured

M. M. Dandapani Desikar M M Dandapani Desikar (August 27, 1908 – June 26, 1972) was a Carnatic music, Carnatic vocalist, actor and composer. 'Isai Arasu' Dandapani Desikar was born in Tiruchengattangudi, near Nannilam in Madras Presidency. He got training from Manicka ...

in the title role. Sundaram acted as Pattinathar's son, Marudhavanan. Sundaram acted in the title roles in Chandrahasan (1936) Sundaramoorthi Nayanar (1937),

Kannappa Nayanar Kannappa was a staunch devotee of Shiva and is closely associated with Srikalahasteeswara Temple. He was a hunter and is believed to have plucked his eyes to offer to Srikalahasteeswara linga, the presiding deity of Srikalahasti Temple. He is a ...

(1938) and Sankarachariyar (1939) His other films are Appoothi Adigal (1941), Rajasooyam (1942) and finally Dhana Amaravati (1947). After the latter half of the 1940s, films with social themes became the trend. Sundaram, who acted mainly in Puranic films did not get any acting chances. So he shifted on to the music field as a playback singer.

Playback singer

His first song as playback singer was ''Sinnanjiru kiliye Kannamma'' written by Bharathiyar. Music was scored by

C. R. Subbaraman C. R. Subbaraman also known as C. S. Ram (1916–1952) was a famous South Indian film music composer and producer. He was born to Ramasamy at Chintamani village in Thirunelveli, in present-day Tamil Nadu. Music director Shankar of Shankar–Gan ...

. It was a duet and

M. L. Vasanthakumari Madras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari (popularly referred to as MLV) (3 July 1928 – 31 October 1990) was a Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. MLV and her contemporaries D. K. Pattammal and M. S. Subbulak ...

was his co-singer. From then on he has sung many remarkable songs till 1962.

Filmography

As actor and singer

As Playback singer

Death

Sundaram died on 14 December 2009 at the age of 92.

References

{{reflist 1918 births 2009 deaths Indian male playback singers Tamil playback singers 20th-century Indian male classical singers Singers from Tamil Nadu Male actors in Tamil cinema 20th-century Indian male actors