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Sujatha and Chitra, who is better?

Topic started by Murali Sankar/Swarapriyan (@ 129.252.23.229) on Fri Sep 11 15:23:51 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Of late Sujatha seems to figure in a number of songs of TFM like "Poovukkul Nuzhiandirukkum","Minnaram Maanathu (from Guru)", "Meetadha Oru veenai". She seems to be the pick of the directors now. It is likely that many of us know that she was introduced to IR by KJ and was extensively used in the early phases of IR himself (when she was juvenile). some examples - "Kaadhal Oviyam Kandaen Kanavo", "Kaalaippaniyil". In this thread i would like to invite arguemnts about the quality of these singers.

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Responses:

• From: Anand Mahadevan (@ maxtnt02-phl-175.fast.net) on: Sat Sep 12 00:13:20 EDT 1998
  
  Meetha Oru veenai was sung by "Mahalakshmi" and the GURU song sung by Chitra
  
  
  
• From: Murali Sankar (@ 129.252.23.234) on: Sat Sep 12 11:23:27 EDT 1998
  
  Dear Anand,
  
  I am sorry to have mistakenly said that "Meettadha oru veenai" was sung by Sujatha. But I think I am pretty sure about her singing the "guru" song. Let us check up.
  
  Regards
  
  Murali Sankar
  
  
• From: GV (@ d28-fx01-lond-pdi.attcanada.net) on: Sun Sep 13 00:09:39 EDT 1998
  
  "Minnaaram maanaththu..." in GURU (Malayalam version) is sung by Sujatha.
  
  
• From: ARUVI (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-82-60.sprint.ca) on: Tue Sep 15 01:59:24 EDT 1998
  
  WHAT EXACTLY IS THE POINT OF SAYING ONE SINGER IS BETTER THAN THE. IF SONGS ARE GIVEN TO ONE, IT COULD RANGE FROM A FACT THAT THEY ARE LESS PAYED TO BEING THE DIRECTORS CHOICE. HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THAT ONE SINGER CAN SING BETTER THAN ANOTHER. WHO SAYS THAT a CAN SING A SONG BETTER THAN b. SPB DID NOT KNOW KARNATIC MUSIC WHEN SINGING FOR SANKARABARAN. DID HE NOT IMPRESS THE MASSES WITH HIS RENDERING. SURE KJ COULD SING THE SAME SONG GIVEN IN THE SAME WAY. AS FAR AS FILM MUSIC GOES IT IS ONLY THE VOICE THAT CHANGES, THE TIMBRE IN THE VOICE. A SINGER SINGS WHAT IS GIVEN TO THEM. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING A SONG A HIT OF FLOP IS IN THE HANDS OF THE MUSIC DIRECTOR, NOT THE SINGER. TFM IS A LUCK GAME. YOU WIN SOME YOU LOSE A LOT. HOW CAN YOU COMPARE TWO ARTISTS WHO HAVE MORE TALENT THAN EVER COULD BE SHOWN BY TFM INDUSTRY? ARE YOU SAYING THAT THEIR CAPABILITIES LIE IN THE SONGS THAT THEY SING WHEN THEY ARE NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ASPECT OF THE PRODUCT EXCEPT TO RENDER AS THEY ARE TOLD. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
  
  
• From: Sriram Lakshman (@ sf-dnpqf-022.compuserve.net) on: Tue Sep 15 04:29:09 EDT 1998
  
  Aruvi,
  I think comparisons between singers is valid esp. because the singer is the instrument through which a song is presented to the public by the MD.
  
  The singer is expected to be sensitive enough to discover hidden depths in a song and bring it out apart from imparting an expression to the song. Each singer interprets a given song according to his/her voice culture and that certainly makes a difference. Have you heard SPB singing "Chaudvin Ka Chaand" (originally sung by Rafi) or "Thuninthapin maname" (sung by Ghantasala) ? SPB was able to bring out a different facet of the two tunes and present them with all his "sangathis" and improvisations. If you are interested try to listen to the songs sung by different singers and try and judge.
  
  Another factor could be the range of the singer's voice and how well it is able to touch the higher notes . Most importantly , the ability to communicate the tune in totality to the listener which is possible only if the singer has all the factors mentioned above and the knack of touching the right notes. IMO Chitra wins hands down though Sujatha holds a lot of promise
  
  
• From: Murali Sankar (@ 129.252.23.156) on: Wed Sep 16 00:03:27 EDT 1998
  
  Dear Aruvi,
  
  You have literally CAPITALIZED on the opportunity to present your views. But i am sorry, i agree more with Sriram Lakshman. Good explanation Mr!
  
  Regards
  
  Murali Sankar
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-83-66.sprint.ca) on: Sun Sep 20 00:06:31 EDT 1998
  
  
  
  Doesn't the freedom that MD's give an artist reflect on their perfomance. SPB is surely in a different plane than Chitra or Sujatha. Not many MD's give them any freedom. What do you mean by voice culture!! once voice is not superior because it is alto or a soprano. I can name low pitch songs which are excellent.
  
  Anyhow, I am working on an assignment on Chitra for music class. I read somewhere that Sujatha started singing at a very early age. So she must have had a better training than Chitra. Do you agree.
  
  
• From: Murali Sankar (@ 129.252.23.233) on: Sun Sep 20 02:20:32 EDT 1998
  
  Dear Aruvi,
  
  voice culture is the way of training one's voice. "Paada paada raagam, poda poda thaalam" is the right way to describe. I agree with you that that sujatha had had training in the early stage but please note that chitra was no late blooming singer. she also hails from a family of singers and had undergone reasonably similar training.
  
  regards
  
  Murali Sankar
  
  
• From: Sriram Lakshman (@ sf-dnpqf-027.compuserve.net) on: Sun Sep 20 03:46:11 EDT 1998
  
  What I meant by voice culture was 'Kural Vagu'or a type of voice (maybe I used the wrong word).Some singers are gifted with a particular 'vagu'. TMS , for example had a masculine voice which was unique in the Indian film industry,irreplacable. His rendering of 'Madhavi pon mayilaal', 'Poo mudippaal intha poonguzhali' etc were forceful and created the impact, only owing to his voice and 'bhaavam'. I was not referring improvisation alone. Listen to Vani Jayaram (though she is good) rendering some 'light' duets like 'Maanikaa maamani' etc. They sound like a bhajan. I guess it all depends on a singer's 'ingitham', he/she should intuitively know how to sing and when.
  
  
• From: Sriram Lakshman (@ sf-dnpqf-027.compuserve.net) on: Sun Sep 20 04:07:51 EDT 1998
  
  Continuation...I personally derive greater satisfaction or a wholesome feeling through Chitra's singing...there is a sense of completeness.
  
  Aruvi, to be very concise , it all depends on how the singer infuses life ino the song.
  
  
• From: Veera Akkoor (@ 1cust170.tnt2.det1.da.uu.net) on: Sun Sep 20 12:14:41 EDT 1998
  
  MUrali,
  
  The song from Guru is by Chitra. I am sure about that.
  
  Minnaram mannathu Chitra gave a great modulation in her voice.
  
  Thanks
  
  Veera Akkoor
  
  
• From: Ramki (@ cs101.cs.wmich.edu) on: Sun Sep 20 15:44:06 EDT 1998
  
  Veera 'minnaram'is by SUjatha
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-71-91.sprint.ca) on: Sun Sep 20 21:06:00 EDT 1998
  
  IMO when people people tend to like the song better the first time they hear.
  
  Sriram
  If SPB had sung the song as a clone copy of TMS most would not like it because it they have already heard it in TMS's voice. Bhava's can be copied. What makes each singer different is their voice. If TMS had sung "sankarabaranamu" people would have said that SPB was better.
  
  To make my point clearer, you say that you find Chitra's songs are more wholesome. But you must have read other threads in which people have said that they feel she has not done justice to the song.
  
  BTW, I am a big fan of Chitra's!
  
  
• From: Veera (@ 1cust230.tnt2.det1.da.uu.net) on: Mon Sep 21 18:48:24 EDT 1998
  
  I apologise guys for my mistake.
  
  Thanks
  
  Veera
  
  
• From: yvs mani (@ hub.nic.in) on: Tue Sep 22 05:56:48 EDT 1998
  
  I find Chithra to be better than Sujatha.Her voice is very good and pronunciation is far better than Sujatha.
  
  
• From: Thomas (@ nb24ppp113.cac.psu.edu) on: Tue Sep 22 14:45:52 EDT 1998
  
  Guys, you know I have to say Chithra!!! :) but, like someone else mentioned earlier, I think it's the pure femininity within Chithra's voice that is so appealing. Of course her octaves are also mesmerizing. Sujatha has a very quiet, and low key voice which is great in songs such as 'Minnaram Maanathu' and 'Athisayam' but she lacks the universality of Chithra's voice. Sujatha's voice is great in using for harmony and humming, like in Roja's 'Kaadhal Rojave' and the song in Kaadhalan 'Katru Kuthirayile.' Nonetheless, my vote is in for Chithra!
  
  
• From: P. Lankathas (@ 139.57.113.131) on: Wed Sep 23 11:34:18 EDT 1998
  
  guys do you know that sujatha used to sing on stage programs with K.J. Jedudas when she was small .....i guess like when she was 10 or so .......and also it was KJJ who interduced her to Raja .........
  
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-72-20.sprint.ca) on: Wed Sep 23 23:11:27 EDT 1998
  
  Did you know that Chitra sang on AIR Thiruvananthapuram when she was 5 years old.
  
  
• From: balaji (@ schubert.crhc.uiuc.edu) on: Thu Sep 24 00:11:16 EDT 1998
  
  sabaash, sariyaana potti!!! i personally feel that chitra has a much more melodious and adjustable voice than sujatha. she has experimented with her voice quite a bit(just listen to the song from vanaja girija).
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-72-38.sprint.ca) on: Fri Sep 25 12:40:32 EDT 1998
  
  On the question of sweet voices, I would say they are both on the same level.
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-77-4.sprint.ca) on: Wed Sep 30 12:22:43 EDT 1998
  
  Hi
  
  I was wondering if any two singers have won the national award for the same (95%) song before, like inji iddupalaki - payalaey
  
  
• From: Thomas (@ nb23ppp51.cac.psu.edu) on: Wed Sep 30 22:25:22 EDT 1998
  
  While on the subject of national awards:
  
  Does Sujatha have any to her credit?
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-75-52.sprint.ca) on: Wed Sep 30 23:36:47 EDT 1998
  
  Thomas
  
  Sujatha does not have any.
  
  
• From: aruvi (@ spc-isp-tor-uas-87-20.sprint.ca) on: Fri Oct 2 00:08:23 EDT 1998
  
  I was just surving through the net when I came across a site with malayalam songs. So I listened to Chitra's song in Swapanam. It is called 'Ponmeghame'. It sounds real great. Trouble is, I don't know malayalam. So can someone tell me if the song is as good as it sounds. Quality of lyric wise.
  
  
• From: Thomas (@ nb23ppp48.cac.psu.edu) on: Fri Oct 2 14:24:33 EDT 1998
  
  aruvi,
  
  'Ponmeghame' by Chithra is from Sopaanam. It is an excellent song, I think the MD is S.P.Venkitesh. The whole film is filled with great classical songs. The lyrics aren't cheesy or anything, but superb classical, poetic lines (I believe by Kaithapram).
  
  
• From: Dorairaj Pichaiyan (@ gateway7.ey.com) on: Tue Oct 6 14:58:54 EDT 1998
  
  I feel there is no question of Sujatha's voice being better than Chitra's.
  
  Here are some examples.
  
  1. Kannalenne - Bombay
  2. Paadariyen - Sindhu Bhairavi
  3. Naan Oru Sindhu - Sindhu Bairavi
  
  There are many more. But I am limiting it to the three above. First of all, Chitra has a better feminine voice than Sujatha. Secondly, she can modulate her voice better than sujatha (eg, Kannalannee). Thirdly, she has better tone in her voice and can sustain it better than sujatha in High Pitch.
  
  I heard even ARR commenting about Chitra's Voice in the Concert that he did in Malayasia. When Chitra finished the song Kannalenee in the stage, ARR commended Chitra that her voice has not changed since she sang the original song and its even getting better.
  
  

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