S. S. Mani Bhagavathar was an Indian Carnatic music singer, cine actor and a

playback singer A playback singer, also known as a ghost singer, is a singer whose singing is pre-recorded for use in films. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras; the actual singer does not app ...

Tamil language Tamil (; ' , ) is a Dravidian language natively spoken by the Tamil people of South Asia. Tamil is an official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the sovereign nations of Sri Lanka and Singapore, and the Indian territory of Pudu ...

films.

Early life

Born at Thirupanangudi in Mayavaram and his full name is S. Subramanian Mani Bhagavathar. He was the principal disciple of

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 ...

Music career

Whenever Guru Papanasam Sivan composed a new song, he would first teach it to S. S. Mani to sing. Mani's duty was to practice it well and then demonstrate it to famous singers like

D. K. Pattammal Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal () (19 March 1919 – 16 July 2009), popularly known as D. K. Pattammal or DKP, was an Indian Carnatic musician and a playback singer for film songs in Tamil. Pattammal, along with her contemporaries M. S. Subbulakshm ...

, Madurai Mani Iyer and many others. Every year, during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December–January), Papanasam Sivan will do the street Bhajan circulating Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore with a group of singers. Mani was one of the regular group member. After the death of Papanasam Sivan, Mani continued the Bhajan until his dying day. S. S. Mani or S. S. Mani Bhagavathar was a registered musician at

Tiruchirappalli Tiruchirappalli () ( formerly Trichinopoly in English), also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with bein ...

All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All a ...

broadcast station. He also functioned as a teacher in

Kalakshetra Kalakshetra Foundation, formerly simply Kalakshetra, is an arts and cultural academy dedicated to the preservation of traditional values in Indian art and crafts, especially in the field of Bharatanatyam dance and Gandharvaveda music. Based in ...

. He accompanied Papanasam Sivan and Madurai Srirangam Aiyangar in their music concerts. He also accompanied

Kothamangalam Subbu Kothamangalam Subbu (born S. M. Subramanian, 10 November 1910 – 15 February 1974) was an Indian poet, lyricist, author, actor and film director based in Tamil Nadu. He wrote the cult classic Tamil novel ''Thillana Mohanambal'' and was awarded ...

in his ''Katha Kalakshepam''s (musical discourses).

Film career

As a Singer

S. S. Mani worked in the music group at Gemini Studios. During this time he sang the first song ''Ananda Nadamidum Paathan'' in the raga Kethaara Gowlai for the film

Nandanar Nandanar (also spelt as Nantanar), also known as Tirunalaippovar (Thirunaallaippovaar (The one who will go tomorrow)) and Tiru Nalai Povar Nayanar,Other names include: Nandan (Nanda, Nantan), Tirunalaipovanar, Nalaippovar, Nalaippovan was a ...

. He accompanied

and M. D. Parthasarathy in another song ''Vara Vara Kettupochu'' for the same film. He sang a virutham ''Annaiyum Thanthaiyumaagum'' for the film

Avvaiyar Avvaiyar (Tamil: ஔவையார்) was the title of more than one female poet who were active during different periods of Tamil literature. They were some of the most famous and important female poets of the Tamil canon. Abidhana Chinta ...

. He accompanied M. D. Parthasarathy in the song ''Aathoram Kodikaalaam'' for the film Chandralekha. He also lent his voice to T.E.Varadan in the 1947 film

Kannika ''Kannika'' is a 1947 Indian Tamil-language film starring M. S. Sarojini, T. E. Varadan and M. R. Santhanalakshmi. The film was directed and produced by S. M. Sriramulu Naidu. Plot King Paligna is a demon king whose life is imprisoned insid ...

As an actor

He featured as Lord Krishna in the 1934 film '' Pavalakkodi''. He also featured in supporting roles in '' Naveena Sadaram'' (1935) and '' Krishnan Thoothu'' (1940)Moviebuff
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Family & Relationships

Music Director S. V. Venkatraman is his brother-inlaw (sister's husband). S. V. Venkatraman is a cousin of

Kothamangalam Seenu ''Kothamangalam Seenu'' (17 February 1910 - 30 August 2001) was a Tamil Stage, Cinema actor and a Carnatic music singer. Early life Kothamangalam Seenu whose birth name is V. S. Srinivasan, was born in Vathirairuppu (anglicised as ‘Watrap'), ...

. Mani's wife is a niece of Kothamangalam Subbu (his father's younger brother's daughter). Thus, Kothamangalam Subbu and Kothamangalam Seenu became relatives through S. S. Mani.

A forgotten man

Film historian

Randor Guy Madabhushi Rangadorai (born 8 November 1937), better known by his pen name Randor Guy, is an Indian lawyer, columnist and film and legal historian associated with the English language newspaper ''The Hindu''. He is also the official editor of the ...

writing in his article reviewing the film Kannika 1947, said "Mani was Papanasam Sivan's nephew and assisted him in his films. He also sang songs that were played against the credit titles. Sadly, Mani is hardly remembered today."

References

Bibliography

* , son of Kothamangalam Subbu (in Tamil)

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bhagavathar, S. S. Mani Indian male film actors Male actors in Tamil cinema Tamil playback singers 20th-century Indian male classical singers