The songstress returns

Sasikala Menon’s name is one that would have been heard aloud in the Malayalam film industry. And so many ifs and buts crop up once we stop on explaining why it did not happen. Sasikala, who has penned the lyrics for 13 beautiful songs, holds the record of being the woman lyricist who wrote maximum number of songs for Malayalam films.

After a hiatus of 25 years, Sasikala is back in action writing lyrics for Nemom Pushparaj’s next ‘Kukkiliyar’. “To be frank, I never took writing a serious affair, until few years ago. Now, looking back, I realise that my beginning itself was with great musicians like A T Ummer sir, Raveendran Master and Devarajan Master and I missed a golden opportunity,” she reflects.

A voracious reader who loved writing poetry, Sasikala calls her entry into tinsel town quite unexpected. It was her father Viswanatha Menon, who sent one of the devotional songs she wrote to Balakrishnan,producer of the movie ‘Sindooram’ (1976) without her knowledge. Thus, her ‘Yadukula Madhava…’ got included in the film. Later, she wrote five songs each for ‘Agninakshathram’ and ‘Wayanadan Thampan’ and one for ‘Tharattu’. Among these, ‘Nithyasahaya mathave…’ a Christian devotional of ‘Agninakshathram’ turned a big hit.

On completing graduation in Sanskrit from Guruvayoor Sanskrit College, she got married to N Venugopal, who is the KPCC General Secretary at present and they settled at Ernakulam. Post marriage, she had to reshuffle her priorities and made up her mind to keep her favourite vocations, including reading on the back burner for long. She found happiness in performing her duties as a wife and mother of two. “My husband was so caring, at the same time, the busy politician could not afford time to accompany me always. Those days, the recording studios were at Chennai and one needs to go there and have to stay for some days. Also, it was not possible for me to go alone.”

It resulted in her pretty long absence of 25 years from the reel world. After so many years, one day, Sasikala felt an urge to write. To her astonishment, words came out like a gushing cascade from her pen praising her favourite deity lord Krishna and she completed six lines in a single stretch.

She believes that the lines beginning with ‘Ibhamilla bhagavanu nalkuvan…’ simply came out only because of the blessings of Guruvayoorappan, for the ardent devotee visits Guruvayoor temple once in every month. It was then, she came to know from Ravi Menon, Creative Head, Club FM, about the aforementioned record etched in her name.

It was time to break the shell and Sasikala listened to her conscience. She got ready for a comeback and wrote nine songs each for the devotional albums ‘Varnavrindavanam’ in 2010 - whose music director was Vidyadharan mash- followed by ‘Sivapanjakshari’ in 2011. All 3000 copies of the latter sold like hot cakes. It was then director of ‘Kukkiliyar’ Nemom Pushparaj and producer Prem G happened to listen to the songs in ‘Sivapanjakshari’ which marked her entry back to filmdom through ‘Mathilekha mizhichari…’

“Though I always felt I had missed the golden opportunities, on my return, I feel fortunate to work with music director M Jayachandran,” she smiles. Sasikala is happy to say that she is ready to continue writing film songs, if she receives offers.

She is also looking forward for the release of her new folk album which she has entrusted with music director Sharreth to set the tumnes.