Documentary on the Lullaby Lady

Vasantha Ravinte Vathil Thurannu, a short film on renowned singer Santha P. Nair, who died in July 2008, will be screened on September 23 at 6 p.m. at Gallery OED, Kochi. Directed by Baiju Chandran (Assistant director, Doordarshan), this biographical documentary highlights the life and contributions of this talented singer, who once reigned as the melody queen of Malayalam.

Another short film, produced as a project of the script-writing workshop of St. Teresa"s College and a French film Metzengerstein will also be screened during the programme, organised by the Cochin Film Society.

Born into the famous Ambady family in Trissur, one of the five children of Vasudeva Poduval and Lakshmi, Santha P. Nair showed her potential at a very young age. She entered Malayalam films through Thiramala (1953); her first song 'Ammathan thankakudame' (by music director Vimal Kumar) was a lullaby.

She sang in hundreds Malayalam films from 1951 to 1967 and immortalised many songs including 'Unarunaroo Unikkanna', 'Kadavathu Thoniyaduthappol', 'Poove nalla poove,' Kuruvikalai uyaraam' and 'Kadavathu thoni aduthapol' with her mellifluous voice. She was equally proficient in Carnatic music and held many concerts, which she used to end with light music.