Sithara Krishnakumar is an Indian

playback singer A playback singer, as they are usually known in South Asian cinema, or ghost singer in Western cinema, is a singer whose performance is pre-recorded for use in films. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and the performers lip-sync the ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

lyricist A lyricist is a writer who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's income derives ...

, classical dancer and an occasional

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

. She predominantly works in

Malayalam cinema Malayalam cinema, also referred to as Mollywood, is a segment of Cinema of India, Indian cinema dedicated to producing films in the Malayalam, Malayalam language, primarily spoken in Kerala and the Lakshadweep islands. It encompasses both th ...

in addition to Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. Sithara is a well known singer who is trained in Hindustani and

Carnatic classical music Carnatic music (known as or in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and southern Odisha. It is o ...

traditions and is also a recognised

ghazal ''Ghazal'' is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry that often deals with topics of spiritual and romantic love. It may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss, or separation from the beloved, and t ...

singer. She is the recipient of several awards which includes three Kerala State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer. She travels extensively and has performed in concerts and stage shows across the world.

Folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...

and fusion being her other areas of interest. She has collaborated with various popular musical bands in Kerala as well as collaborated in many stage shows, which includes international shows as well. In 2014, she formed a musical band Eastraga, which focuses on a mix of female oriented songs backed by a team of renowned musicians. She is also part of the 6-member band named Sithara's

Project Malabaricus Project Malabaricus is an Indian indian rock band from Kerala formed in 2017 by popular playback singer Sithara Krishnakumar. The band has been noted for exploring socially and culturally relevant narratives through their music. They have perf ...

, an independent venture which features contemporarised folk and classical songs.

Early life and education

Sithara was born to K. M. Krishnakumar and Saly at

Thenhipalam Thenhipalam (also spelt Tenhipalam and Thenjipalam) is a census town and a panchayat in Tirurangadi taluk in Malappuram district of Kerala, India, with a population of 27,273 as per 2001 census, consisting of 13,293 males and 13,980 females.

in the

Malappuram district Malappuram (), is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, with a coastline of . The most populous district of Kerala, Malappuram is home to around 13% of the tot ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

. Her mother Saly is a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. Born into a family inclined to classical arts, Sithara was introduced to the world of music as a child and started singing at the age of four. Sithara attended St. Paul's School, Tenhipalam, GMHSS

Calicut University The University of Calicut, also known as Calicut University, is a state-run public university headquartered at Tenhipalam in Malappuram district of the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1968, it is the first university to be set up in no ...

Campus School, and NNM Higher Secondary School, Chelembra. She did her graduation in English literature from

Farook College Farook College is a government-aided, autonomous, arts and science college located in Feroke near Kozhikode, Kerala, India. It is the largest residential post-graduate aided institution in Kerala affiliated to the University of Calicut; it wa ...

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...

, and secured her master's degree from

Campus A campus traditionally refers to the land and buildings of a college or university. This will often include libraries, lecture halls, student centers and, for residential universities, residence halls and dining halls. By extension, a corp ...

. Sithara married Dr. Sajish M., a

cardiologist Cardiology () is the study of the heart. Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery di ...

, on 31 August 2007, and the couple has a daughter, Saawan Rithu, born on 9 June 2013. The family resides in

Aluva Aluva () is a Municipalities of Kerala, municipality and a northern suburb of the city of Kochi in Kerala. It is located about north of the city centre. Aluva is known for the Aluva Sivarathri festival, Sivarathri festival, which is celebra ...

Ernakulam Ernakulam () is the central business district of the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. It is the namesake of Ernakulam district. The eastern part of Kochi city is mainly known as Ernakulam, while the western part of it after the Venduruthy Bridge ...

Career

She started off her art life as a dancer and eventually became a playback singer. She was trained in Carnatic Music by Sri Ramanattukara Satheesan Master and Palai CK Ramachandran. Sithara also received extensive education in Hindustani Classical music from Ustad Fiyaz Khan. She is also a classical dancer trained by Kalamandalam Vinodini. For her multifaceted talents, she was accoladed with the Kalathilakam title in Calicut University Arts Festival for two consecutive years (2005 and 2006). She holds master's degrees in Hindustani

Khyal Khyal or Khayal (ख़याल / خیال) is a major form of Hindustani classical music in the Indian subcontinent. Its name comes from a Persian language, Persian/Arabic language, Arabic word meaning "imagination". Khyal is associated with rom ...

Music and Vocal Music from

Rabindra Bharati University Rabindra Bharati University is a public research university in Kolkata, India. It was founded on 8 May 1962, under the Rabindra Bharati Act of the Government of West Bengal in 1961, to mark the birth centenary of the poet Rabindranath Tagore. I ...

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

Sithara performing with Shankar Mahadevan

Sithara started off her

playback singing A playback singer, as they are usually known in South Asian cinema, or ghost singer in Western cinema, is a singer whose performance is pre-recorded for use in films. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and the performers lip-sync th ...

career in the year 2007 with the song Pammi Pammi in

Vinayan T. G. Vinayakumar, professionally credited as Vinayan, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, and lyricist, who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema and occasionally in Tamil cinema. He has directed 40 Malayalam films and 4 Tami ...

's Malayalam film

Athishayan ''Athishayan'' () is a 2007 Indian Malayalam-language science fiction film written and directed by Vinayan, starring Master Devadas with Jackie Shroff (in his Malayalam film debut), Kavya Madhavan, Karthika, Jayasurya and Mukesh in other roles. ...

. Formerly, she was the winner of several musical talent shows like

Asianet Asianet may refer to: JioStar channels * JioStar, is an Indian media conglomerate wholly owned by Disney India. ** Asianet, a Malayalam language general entertainment channel ** Asianet Plus, a Malayalam language general entertainment channel ** As ...

Saptha Swarangal (2004),

Kairali TV Kairali TV is an Indian Malayalam-language general entertainment free-to-air television channel owned by PTC Network via holding company G-Next Media Pvt Ltd . It is headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram. It was launched on 17 August 2000. Hist ...

Gandharva Sangeetham (Seniors) and

Jeevan TV Jeevan TV is an Indian Malayalam language Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

Voice 2004. She also won Jeevan TV's 20 million Apple Megastars in 2008. She has gained a good reputation as a devoted Ghazal singer and a passionate stage performer of other vocal genres. She has worked with noted composers like

Ouseppachan Mechery Louis Ouseppachan (born 13 September 1955), known mononymously as Ouseppachan, is an Indian film composer and singer who primarily works in Malayalam films. He is a recipient of National Film Award, Filmfare Award and Kerala State Fil ...

, M. Jayachandran, G. V. Prakash Kumar,

Prashant Pillai Prashant Pillai (born 8 September 1981) is a music producer and composer from India. Early career After completing his Sound engineering in Chennai, he went on to work with A.R.Rahman. After a short stint with him, he moved on and settled in ...

Gopi Sundar Gopi Sundar C. S. (born 30 May 1977) is an Indian music director, Programming (music), programmer, playback singer, songwriter, actor and performer who works in the Malayalam, Telugu language, Telugu and Tamil language, Tamil film industries. ...

Bijibal Bijibal Maniyil is an Indian music composer and playback singer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. In a career spanning more than twenty years, he has composed for more than 150 feature films, several television commercials and a few d ...

Shaan Rahman Shaan Rahman (born 30 December 1979) is an Indian composer and singer, best known for his compositions in the Malayalam film industry. Shaan made his debut as a music director in the 2009 film '' Ee Pattanathil Bhootham'' directed by Johny An ...

and rendered her voice to over 300 film songs including Malayalam and other Indian languages. Her works are of various genres. Sithara Performing at Qatar in 2019 by Ijas Muhammed Photography

Sithara Performing at Qatar in 2019 by Ijas Muhammed Photography

In 2017, she turned composer with the single Ente Akasham, Written by herself. The video which officially got released at a program held by Kerala State Women's Development Corporation to commemorate

International Women's Day International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. International Women's Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive righ ...

, picturized the life of night-time female workers. She turned film music composer with the film '' Udalaazham'' along with Mithun Jayaraj. The film is produced under the banner ''Doctor’s Dilemma'' – a doctor's collective which includes her husband Dr. Sajish. M. She made a cameo appearance in the Malayalam film

Ganagandharvan ''Ganagandharvan'' () is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language comedy-drama film written and directed by Ramesh Pisharody. The film stars Mammootty, Santhi Mayadevi, Manoj K. Jayan, Siddique, and Suresh Krishna. The film was released on 27 Septemb ...

directed by

Ramesh Pisharody T. V. Ramesh (born 1 October 1981), professionally credited as Ramesh Pisharody, is an Indian stand-up comedian, impressionist, television presenter, actor and film director. He works in Malayalam television shows, stage, and cinema. He is pa ...

Awards

Kerala State Film Award The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a cinema of kerala, motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs (Kerala), Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and sin ...

s: * 2012 – Best Singer – ''

Celluloid Celluloids are a class of materials produced by mixing nitrocellulose and camphor, often with added dyes and other agents. Once much more common for its use as photographic film before the advent of safer methods, celluloid's common present-day ...

'' – "''Enundodee''" * 2017 – Best Singer – ''

Vimaanam ''Vimaanam'' () is a 2017 Indian Malayalam-language comedy drama film written and directed by Pradeep M. Nair. The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Durga Krishna. The film was released on 22 December 2017. This film is said to be loosely b ...

'' – "''Vaanamakalunnuvo''" * 2021 – Best Singer – ''

Kaanekkaane ''Kaanekkaane'' is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language drama thriller film written by Bobby and Sanjay and directed by Manu Ashokan. The film stars Suraj Venjaramoodu, Tovino Thomas, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Shruthi Ramachandran in important roles. ...

'' – "''Paalnilavin''"

South Indian International Movie Awards The South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA Awards) rewards the artistic and technical achievements of the South Indian film industry. It was launched in 2012 by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Brinda Prasad Adusimilli to appreciate and hono ...

: *2014 – Best Female Playback Singer – ''

Mr. Fraud ''Mr. Fraud'' is a 2014 Indian heist action thriller film written and directed by B. Unnikrishnan. The film stars an ensemble cast of Mohanlal, Dev Gill, Vijay Babu, Miya, Manjari Phadnis, Siddique, Vijayakumar, Pallavi Purohit, Rahul M ...

'' – "''Sadaa Paalaya''" *2019 – Best Female Playback Singer – ''

Eeda ''Eeda'' () is a 2018 Indian Malayalam-language romance film written, edited and directed by B. Ajithkumar. The film is a modern take on William Shakespeare's ''Romeo and Juliet'', set in the backdrops of political violence in Kannur Ka ...

'' – "''Marivil''"

Asianet Film Award The Asianet Film Awards is an award ceremony for films presented annually by Asianet (TV channel), Asianet, a Malayalam-language television network from the South India, south-Indian state of Kerala. Asianet says an awards ceremony has been i ...

s: *2016 – Most Popular Duet Song – ''

Jacobinte Swargarajyam ''Jacobinte Swargarajyam'' () is a 2016 Indian Malayalam-language family drama film written and directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan. The film stars Nivin Pauly and Renji Panicker. It revolves around a wealthy businessman and the struggles faced by h ...

'' – "''Thiruvavani raavu''"

Asiavision Awards Asiavision Awards have been held annually since 2006 to honor the artistes and technicians of Indian cinema and television & is organized under the leadership of renowned journalist Nissar Syed. More than 40,000 people across United Arab Emirates ...

: *2017 – Best Singer (Female) – ''

Udaharanam Sujatha ''Udaharanam Sujatha'' () is a 2017 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by debutant director "Phantom" Praveen, adapted by Naveen Bhaskar and produced by Martin Prakkat and Joju George. It is a remake of the 2015 Hindi-language film ...

'' – "''Ethu Mazhayilum''"

Mirchi Music Awards South Mirchi Music Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Mirchi Music Awards, presented by Radio Mirchi to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the South Indian music industry. The awards are separately giv ...

: *2012 – Best Female Playback Singer in Tamil – ''

Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal ''Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal'' () is a 2012 Indian Tamil-language romantic psychological thriller film directed by Elred Kumar starring Atharvaa and Amala Paul, while Jayaprakash, Anupama Kumar, Santhanam, Yashika and Nassar played suppo ...

'' – "''Kangal Neeye''" *2019 – Best Female Playback Singer in Malayalam – ''

Kumbalangi Nights ''Kumbalangi Nights'' () is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy drama film, drama film directed by Madhu C Narayanan, Madhu C. Narayanan. The directorial debut was written by Syam Pushkaran and jointly produced by Fahadh Faasil an ...

'' – "''Cherathukal''" Mazhavil Music Awards *2019 – Best Female Playback Singer –

Madhura Raja ''Madhura Raja'' () is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language action comedy film directed by Vysakh, written by Udaykrishna and starring Mammootty, Jagapathi Babu and Jai alongside Anusree, Siddique, Nedumudi Venu, Vijayaraghavan, Salim Kumar, M ...

– "''Mohamundiri"'' *2021 – Best Female Playback Singer - Sathyam Paranja Viswasikkuvo - "Pularippoo" *2022 – Best Female Playback Singer –

– "''Paalnilavin''" *2023 - Best Duet - Sundari Gardens - "Mayamoham" (with

Alphons Joseph Alphons Joseph is an Indian music director and playback singer who works in Malayalam film industry. He debuted with 2003 movie ''Vellithira (2003 film), Vellithira''. Alphons is also noted for singing "Aaromale" from the film ''Vinnaithaandi V ...

) Janmabhumi Film Awards: *2018 – Best Female Playback Singer –

– "''Marivil"'' Mangalam Music Awards: *2017 – Best Female Playback Singer Yuva Awards: *2017 – Best Female Playback Singer Red FM Malayalam Music Awards: *2017 – Best Female Playback Singer Anand TV Awards: *2018 – Best Female Playback Singer *2016 – Best Female Playback Singer

Federation of Kerala Associations in North America The Federation Of Kerala Associations In North America (FOKANA) is an umbrella organization formed on July 4, 1983, in New York City to unite all Kerala/Malayali organizations of the American continent. It was during the seventies that many Malaya ...

Awards: *2016 – Best Female Playback Singer – ''

Lailaa O Lailaa ''Lailaa O Lailaa'' is a 2015 Indian Malayalam-language action spy film directed by Joshiy. It stars Mohanlal and Amala Paul alongside a supporting cast of Sathyaraj, Joy Mathew, Sreerag Nambiar, Rahul Dev and Kainaat Arora. Bollywood screenwr ...

'' – "''Nanayumee Mazhai''" Other Awards: *2002 – Baburaj Memorial Award – Best Female Singer *2004 –

Swaralaya Kairali Yesudas Award Swaralaya Kairali Yesudas Award (or usually referred to as Yesudas Award) is an award for music artists in recognition to their outstanding performance. The award is instituted jointly by ''Swaralaya'', an organization that promotes music and Kai ...

– Best Singer *2009 – Drishya Award – Best Female Album Singer *2011 – Mohammed Rafi Memorial Award – Best Playback Singer *2011 – Vayalar Samskarika Vedi Award – Best Playback Singer *2012 – Kannur Rajan Memorial Award – Best Playback Singer *2012 – L Channel Award – Best Playback Singer *2012 – Inspire Film Award – Best Playback Singer *2019 – Johnson Music Awards – Best Playback Singer *2020 – Muzic2morrow Awards – Best Female Singer *2020 – Movie Street Film Awards – Best Female Playback Singer *2022 – Swaralaya – KPAC Sulochana Award

Discography

As composer

Albums

Films

As playback singer

*''All songs are in

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

language unless otherwise noted''.

TV series

Albums (non-film songs)

Malayalam film songs

Discography (other languages)

Tamil

Kannada

Telugu

Filmography as actor

Television shows

References

External links

Official Website
*
Facebook
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sithara Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Indian women playback singers Indian women classical singers Malayalam playback singers Tamil playback singers Telugu playback singers Kannada playback singers Musicians from Kozhikode Indian women ghazal singers Indian ghazal singers Singers from Kerala University of Calicut alumni Film musicians from Kerala 21st-century Indian singers Women Carnatic singers Carnatic singers Indian women folk singers Indian folk singers 21st-century Indian women singers Women musicians from Kerala Actresses in Malayalam cinema