Mahalakshmi Iyer (also Mahalaxmi Iyer) is an Indian playback singer, best known for her Hindi and Tamil songs. She has sung over a thousand songs in many Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Assamese, Kannada and Malayalam.[1]
[edit] Career
Mahalakshmi made her singing debut with Dus, which was Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy's debut as music directors in 1997, though the album released only in 1999. Later, she went on to work frequently with them. She then sang the track Ae Ajnabee with Udit Narayan for A. R. Rahman in Mani Ratnam's Dil Se (1998).
Since then she has sung over thousand songs in films, serials, jingles and original albums.[2] She was part of several successful soundtracks such as Mission Kashmir, Yaadein and Saathiya and worked with some of the biggest music composers like A. R. Rahman, Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy Anu Malik, Jatin-Lalit and more.
She has also sung for all of Yash Raj Films' biggest hits like Dhoom 2, Bunty Aur Babli, Salaam Namaste and Fanaa and most recent successful albums like Ta Ra Rum Pum and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom.
She was known for her performances in songs like "Kabhi Sham Dhale" from Sur – The Melody of Life (2002), "Har Taraf" from Rishtey (2002) and for hit songs like "Chup Chup Ke" from Bunty Aur Babli (2005), "Aaj Ki Raat" from Don: The Chase Begins Again (2006) and "Bol Na Halke Halke" from Jhoom Barabar Jhoom.
She also sang on the Academy Award winning song "Jai Ho" for A. R. Rahman in the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). Specifically, she sang the Urdu words between the short "Jai Ho" chants, as well as portions of the verses (most of which were sung by Sukhwinder Singh).[3]
She has also rendered her voice to many private album remixes notably Aaja Piya Tohe Pyar and Baahon Mein Chali Aao, which was originally rendered by the legendary Lata Mangeshkar. Mahalakshmi has also recorded hundreds of commercial advertisements on television.
She went to National Institute of Foundry & Forge Technology in 2011 and performed in their cultural fest JINKS'11 and whole of the Ranchi crowd were mesmerised by her great performance.
[edit] Personal life
Mahalakshmi comes from a musical family. Her mother is a Carnatic classical singer. She began learning Hindustani music at an early age as did her three sisters, Kalpana, Padmini and Shobha. Iyer grew up in Mumbai and is a graduate of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, where she took up classes in Urdu to perfect her pronunciation .[2]
[edit] Notable filmography
| Year |
Song |
Film |
Language |
Music director |
Co-singer(s) |
| 1997 |
"Suno Gaur Se Duniya Walo (Hindustani)" |
Dus |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Udit Narayan, Shankar Mahadevan, Dominique Cerejo |
| 1998 |
"Ae Ajnabee" |
Dil Se... |
Hindi |
A. R. Rahman |
Udit Narayan |
| 1999 |
"Velli Malare" |
Jodi |
Tamil |
A. R. Rahman |
S. P. Balasubramanyam |
| "Vanna Poonga" |
Jodi |
Tamil |
A. R. Rahman |
S. P. Balasubramanyam |
| "Kurukku Siruthhavale" |
Mudhalvan |
Tamil |
A. R. Rahman |
Hariharan |
| 2000 |
"So Jaa Chandaa" |
Mission Kashmir |
Hindi |
Loy Mendonsa |
Solo |
| "Yaaro Yaarodi" |
Alaipayuthey |
Tamil |
A. R. Rahman |
Richa Sharma, Vaishali[disambiguation needed  ] |
| "Kandukonden Kandukonden" |
Kandukondain Kandukondain |
Tamil |
A. R. Rahman |
Hariharan |
| "Ennavo Ennavo" |
Priyamanavale |
Tamil |
S. A. Rajkumar |
Hariharan |
| 2001 |
"Hasde Hasde" |
Abhay |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Kamal Haasan |
| "Poove Vai Pesum" |
12B |
Tamil |
Harris Jayaraj |
Harish Raghavendra |
| "Mutham Mutham" |
12B |
Tamil |
Harris Jayaraj |
KK |
| "Siri Siri" |
Aalavandhan |
Tamil |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Kamal Haasan |
| "Yaadein Yaad Aati Hai" |
Yaadein |
Hindi |
Anu Malik |
Sunidhi Chauhan |
| "Malai Kattru Vandhu" |
Vedham |
Tamil |
Vidhyasagar |
Hariharan |
| 2002 |
"Har Taraf Tu Hi" |
Rishtey |
Hindi |
|
|
| "Chalka Chalka Re" |
Saathiya |
Hindi |
A. R. Rahman |
Richa Sharma, Vaishali[disambiguation needed ] |
| "Kabhie Sham Dhale" |
Sur – The Melody of Life |
Hindi |
M. M. Kreem |
Solo |
| "Oohh Yeah" |
Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai? |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
KK |
| "Ghatothkacha Kalaadhara" |
Pammal K. Sambandam |
Tamil |
Deva |
Srinivas |
| 2003 |
"Aao Milke Gaayein" |
Armaan |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Udit Narayan, Amitabh Bachchan, Shankar Mahadevan |
| "Main Gaaon" |
Armaan |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Udit Narayan, Shaan |
| "Nenjam Oru Murai" |
Vaseegara |
Tamil |
S. A. Rajkumar |
Srinivas |
| "ABBG" |
Kuch Naa Kaho |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Udit Narayan |
| "Baat Meri Suniye" |
Kuch Naa Kaho |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Shankar Mahadevan |
| 2004 |
"Yeh Dhuaan" |
Charas |
Hindi |
Raju Singh |
Solo |
| "Pyar Mein Sau Uljhane" |
Kyun! Ho Gaya Na... |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Shankar Mahadevan, Vijay Prakash |
| "Ishq Khudai" |
Rudraksh |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Krishna, Shankar Mahadevan, Shweta Pandit |
| 2005 |
"Chup Chup Ke" |
Bunty Aur Babli |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Sonu Nigam |
| "Tu Jahaan" |
Salaam Namaste |
Hindi |
Vishal-Shekhar |
Sonu Nigam |
| "Jaaniya Ve" |
Dus |
Hindi |
Vishal-Shekhar |
Hariharan |
| "Ee Nanna Kannaane" |
Abhi |
Kannada |
Gurukiran |
Udit Narayan |
| "Koi Aisa Alam" |
Karam |
Hindi |
Vishal-Shekhar |
Sonu Nigam |
| 2006 |
"Uyirilae" |
Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu |
Tamil |
Harris Jayaraj |
Srinivas |
| "Dil Laga Na" |
Dhoom 2 |
Hindi |
Pritam |
Jolly Mukherjee, Suzanne D'Mello, Sukhbir |
| "Aaj Ki Raat" |
Don: The Chase Begins Again |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Alisha Chinai, Sonu Nigam |
| "Des Rangila" |
Fanaa |
Hindi |
Jatin-Lalit |
Solo |
| "Chanda Chamke" |
Fanaa |
Hindi |
Jatin-Lalit |
Babul Supriyo |
| "Rock N' Roll Soniye" |
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Shaan, Shankar Mahadevan |
| 2007 |
"Bol Na Halke Halke" |
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan |
| "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom" |
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Shankar Mahadevan, KK, Sukhwinder Singh |
| "Mudhal Naal Indru" |
Unnale Unnale |
Tamil |
Harris Jayaraj |
KK, Pop Shalini |
| "Baat Pakki" |
Just Married |
Hindi |
Pritam |
Shaan, Sukhwinder Singh |
| "Yeko Yeno" |
Arasu |
Kannada |
Joshua Sridhar |
Solo |
| "Jab Chhaye" |
Hattrick |
Hindi |
Pritam |
Solo |
| "Zara Gungunalein" |
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag |
Hindi |
Shantanu Moitra |
Babul Supriyo |
| "Tenu Leke" |
Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Sonu Nigam |
| "Ta Ra Rum Pum" |
Ta Ra Rum Pum |
Hindi |
Vishal-Shekhar |
Shaan |
| "Kannadaasa Kannadaasa" |
Thavam |
Tamil |
D. Imman |
Harish Raghavendra |
| "Manasa" (Film Version) |
Munna |
Telugu |
Harris Jayaraj |
Naresh Iyer, Krish |
| 2008 |
"Jai Ho" |
Slumdog Millionaire |
English |
A. R. Rahman |
Sukhwinder Singh, Vijay Prakash, Tanvi Shah |
| "Oh Ho Sanam" |
Dasavathaaram |
Tamil |
Himesh Reshammiya |
Kamal Haasan |
| "Falak Tak Chal" |
Tashan |
Hindi |
Vishal-Shekhar |
Udit Narayan |
| "Pyar Ki Dastan" |
Luck by Chance |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Amit Paul |
| "Dheem Dheem" |
Accident |
Kannada |
V. Harikrishna |
Sonu Nigam |
| 2009 |
"Abacha" |
Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam |
Telugu |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Shilpa Rao |
| 2010 |
"Sadka" |
I Hate Luv Storys |
Hindi |
Vishal-Shekhar |
Suraj Jagan |
| "Chal Chal Bhosle Market" |
Khichdi: The Movie |
Hindi |
Raju Singh |
Shaan |
| "Tera Mera Pyar" |
Action Replayy |
Hindi |
Pritam |
Karthik, Antara Mitra |
| "Charha De Rang" |
Yamla Pagla Deewana |
Hindi |
Nouman Javaid |
Ali Pervez Mehdi, Shweta Pandit, Rahul Seth |
| 2011 |
"Laungda Lashkara" (orig&remix) |
Patiala House |
Hindi |
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy |
Hard Kaur, Jassi Sidhu |
| "Rola Pe Gaya" (orig&remix) |
Shankar Mahadevan, Hard Kaur, Earl |
| "Mauka" (orig&remix) |
Aarakshan |
Raman Mahadevan, Tarun Sagar, Gaurav Gupta, Rehan Khan |
| "Mala Sang Na" |
Sharyat |
Marathi |
Chinar-Mahesh |
Solo |
[edit] Awards and honors
- Alpha award for Best Playback, for Adhar
- Maharashtra Kala Niketan Award, for Suna Yeti Gharaat
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
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Iyer, Mahalakshmi |
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| Date of birth |
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