Biography Of Indian Playback And Ghazal Singer Hariharan

Explore the melodic journey of Hariharan, one of India’s most renowned playback singers. With a career spanning decades, Hariharan’s soulful voice and adaptable singing style have helped him carve out a position for himself in the music business. Hariharan’s musical talent is unmatched; his energetic compositions can electrify a crowd, while his love ballads captivate listeners.

India-born Hariharan’s love of music began to take hold of him at an early age, setting him on the path to musical brilliance. His entry into the playback singing scene began his rise to stardom, as he was soon recognized for his unique voice and expressive delivery.

Hariharan has worked with well-known musicians and composers throughout his lengthy career, making a lasting impression on the Indian music landscape. His skill at fusing traditional and modern elements has won him praise and adoration from followers all around the world.

Come along as we reveal the background of the man whose voice has moved millions of people. The story of Hariharan, from his modest upbringing to his quick ascent to fame, is a monument to the strength of desire, tenacity, and music’s enduring appeal.

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Early Life Of Hariharan

Born on April 3, 1955, Hariharan Anantha Subramani is an Indian playback, bhajan, and ghazal singer.H. A. S. and Alamelu Mani, two classical musicians, are the parents of Hariharan. Don Bosco High School in Matunga was Hariharan’s place of education. He later graduated from SIES College of Arts, Science & Commerce in Mumbai. He then continued his education at Mumbai’s St. Xavier’s College.

H. A. S. Mani well known by his loving moniker Chellamani, was a Mumbai native who trained several Carnatic vocalists. Before his away in 1963 from cardiac arrest in his early 40s.In 2019, his mother Alamelu Mani received the honor of being named Sangeeta Pracharya.

Profile Of Hariharan

Full Name: Hariharan Anantha Subramani
Date of Birth: 3 April 1955 (age 69)
Birth Place: Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Occupation: Playback singer
Genres: Indian, classical music, Indian devotional songs, Playback singing, Filmi, Ghazal
Honours: Padma Shri (2004), Kalaimamani (2005)
Instrument(s): Vocals, harmonium
Years active: 1977–present

Hariharan’s Film Career

Hariharan began his career by doing TV appearances in addition to the concert tour. He has sung close to 200 Hindi songs and over 500 Tamil songs. He has hundreds of song performances in Bengali, Odia, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Marathi. In 1992, A. R. Rahman, a young music director, made Hariharan’s film debut in Tamil with the patriotic song “Thamizha Thamizha” from Mani Ratnam’s Roja. Hariharan has sung numerous songs for Rahman and is one of his most trusted vocalists. The exceptional films are Muthu, Minsara Kanavu, Jeans, Indian, Mudhalvan, Taal, Rangeela, Indira, and Iruvar.

Hariharan’s Career In Ghazals & Others

One of the most prominent ghazal singers and composers in India is Hariharan. He composed the majority of the scores for some of the popular ghazal albums he recorded in his early career. Aabshar-e-Ghazal, which featured Asha Bhosle, was one of Hariharan’s first ghazal albums and went gold in sales.
Gulfam, another excellent ghazal album, won Hariharan the 1995 Diva Award for Best Album of the Year in addition to going double platinum in sales.

Hazir (1992), Jashn (1996), Halka Nasha (1996), Paigham (1997), Kaash (2000), and Lahore Ke Rang Hari Ke Sang (2005) are some of his other well-known ghazal albums. His live concert records of Saptarishi (1996), Swar Utsav (2001), and Hariharan in Concert (1990) were all enormous hits. Together with tabla master Zakir Hussain, Hariharan worked on his album Hazir.

Together with vocalist and composer Lesle Lewis of Mumbai, he established the band Colonial Cousins in 1996. Their fusion debut album, Colonial Cousins, made them the first Indian act to appear on MTV Unplugged. Numerous accolades were earned by it, including the MTV Indian Viewers’ Choice award. He made a name for himself as one of the forerunners of Indian fusion music with this one album.

Awards

Hariharan sings in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil. In addition, he has performed over 15,000 well-known songs in ten other languages, including English, Malayalam, Bengali, Sanskrit, Gujarati, Sinhala, Kannada, and Bhojpuri. He is one of the pioneers of Indian fusion music and a well-known ghazal vocalist. He has won two National Awards and was bestowed with the Padma Shri by the Indian government in 2004.

Hariharan and Lesle Lewis collaborated to create the pair Colonial Cousins. The first devotional song in history, Hanuman Chalisa by Hariharan and the late Gulshan Kumar was released under the T-Series label. And achieved three billion views on YouTube in 1992.

Nandi Awards

1999 – Best Male Playback Singer – for the song “Hima Semalloyallo” in the film Annayya

Asianet Film Awards

2012 – Best Male Playback Singer – for Amrithamayi from Snehaveedu
2011 – Best Male Playback Singer – for “Aaro Padunnu” from Katha Thudarunnu

Kalakar Awards

8th Kalakar Awards 2000 – for Best Male Playback Singer

Filmfare Awards South

2011 – Best Male Playback Singer – for “Aaro Padunnu” from Katha Thudarunnu

Vijay Awards

2009 – Best Male Playback Singer – for “Nenjukkul Peithidum” from Vaaranam Aayiram

Civilian Awards

2004 – Padma Shri

National Film Awards

1998 – National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer: “Mere Dushman”, Border
2009 – National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer: “Jeev Dangla Gungla Rangla”, Jogwa

Kerala State Film Awards

2011 – Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer – for the song “Pattu Paaduvaan” in the film Pattinte Palazhi music by Suresh Manimala

Swaralaya-Kairali-Yesudas Award

2004 – for his outstanding contribution to Indian film music[18]

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

2004 – Best Male Playback Singer – for various films
1995 – Best Male Playback Singer – for the song “Koncha Naal” in the film Aasai

Upshot

A fascinating trip through the life and career of one of the most well-known voices in Indian music is provided by the biography of playback singer Hariharan. From his modest upbringing to his quick ascent to stardom, Hariharan’s biography is one of unwavering skill, passion, and tenacity.

Hariharan has garnered admiration over his lengthy career by captivating audiences with his soulful renditions and diverse vocal range. His ability to move fluidly between traditional and contemporary music has solidified his reputation as a musical icon in India and abroad.

Beyond his artistic accomplishments, Hariharan is an inspiration to budding artists everywhere because of his unwavering devotion to excellence and his dedication to his craft. His contributions to the music industry have had a lasting impact, influencing Indian playback singing for future generations.

We are reminded of the life-changing potential of music and its profound influence when we consider Hariharan’s incredible journey. His life’s work is an enduring tribute to the power of melody and the people who devote their lives to its development. He was chosen to serve as a judge on the sixth season of Asianet Star Singer, a well-liked music competition for up-and-coming Malayalam singers. ‘Royal Stag Barrel Select MTV Unplugged’ featured Hariharan and aired in December 2015.

Hariharan recorded a song called “Bolo Bolo” in collaboration with the Pakistani band Strings. Together with the Punjabi/bhangra musician Daler Mehndi, he released an album titled Destiny. He also sang the Swagatham song during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which took place on October 3 in New Delhi.

FAQs

1. What noteworthy accomplishments has Hariharan made?

A: Throughout his lengthy career, Hariharan has won various accolades, including Filmfare and National Film for his outstanding contributions to the Indian music industry.

2. Which well-known songs does Hariharan sing?

A: Some of the most well-known songs by Hariharan are “Tu Hi Re” from “Bombay,” “Roja Janeman” from “Roja,” “Chappa Chappa” from “Maachis,” and “Tum Bin Jiya Jaye Kaise” from “Tum Bin.”

3. How did Hariharan begin his career as a musician?

A: Hariharan’s mother, a vocalist for Carnatic music, encouraged him to pursue music from a young age. Later, he received instruction from renowned professors in Hindustani classical music, which helped him hone his abilities and set the stage for his prosperous career.

4. What distinguishes Hariharan’s voice?

A: Hariharan’s unique voice is distinguished by its flawless control, emotional depth, and rich texture. One of the most renowned playback singers in India, he stands out for his ability to move between many genres and languages with ease.

5. What other endeavors has Hariharan undertaken except playback singing?

A: Apart from playback singing, Hariharan has also dabbled with fusion music, working with well-known musicians to produce innovative albums like “Colonial Cousins” with Leslie Lewis, demonstrating his adaptability and creativity in the music business.

6. What impact has Hariharan had on the Indian music industry?

A: Hariharan has a huge impact on the Indian music industry thanks to his soul-stirring compositions and compelling performances, which have won him devoted followers throughout the years. His enthusiasm and commitment to his trade serve as an inspiration to young musicians.

7. How has Hariharan impacted the Indian music scene?

A: Hariharan’s unrivaled talent, persistent accomplishments, and steadfast dedication to perfection have left a lasting impact on the Indian music industry. He will always be regarded as a hero in the eyes of music enthusiasts everywhere because of his timeless masterpieces and extraordinary talent.