Mollywood is blessed with several outstanding artists and many of them have tried their hands at other aspects of filmmaking like playback singing. Many actors have ventured into this realm and mesmerised us with their voices. In part 1, I covered 8 actors whose singing skills came as a surprise. In part 2, I’ll list 6 more whose singing capabilities surprised me. In no particular order, they are:
Aparna Balamurali
Jimsy from Maheshinte Prathikaaram is a character who stayed with us long after the movie ended, thanks to the honest and able portrayal by Aparna Balamurali. She has consistently delivered top-notch performances. In addition to being a capable actor, Aparna Balamurali is also a good singer. Her sweet and melodious voice is the voice behind many chartbusters. Her first song was Mounangal Mindumoree from Maheshinte Prathikaaram, which she sang alongside Vijay Yesudas. The song was a hit and Aparna went on to give her voice for almost 10 songs. Aparna Balamurali the singer is as capable as Aparna Balamurali the actor and we definitely would want to hear more of her songs.
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Priya Prakash Varrier
From a wink in a small scene from Oru Adaar Love, Priya Prakash Varrier became a national sensation. She went on to attain national fame and attention, so much so that she became the most searched personality on Google in India in 2018. What many people don’t usually talk about is the fact that she has a distinctive singing voice. This came into the limelight when she sang Nee Mazhavillu Polen in the Rajisha Vijayan starrer Finals. Her unique singing voice is something many won’t recognise immediately but is something, which if utiliSed properly, can be a voice we would want to hear more of.
Bibin George
Bibin George rose to fame as a scriptwriter, with his maiden venture Amar Akbar Anthony, which he co-wrote with Vishnu Unnikrishnan. Bibin then played small roles until he landed a lead role in Oru Pazhaya Bomb Katha. The scriptwriter in Bibin proved to be a talented individual, and so did the actor in him. However, I was totally taken by surprise to see the singer in him. With the song Ninnakaayi Njan, composed by Gopi Sundar, Bibin showed us that he is a capable singer too.
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Joju George
Joju George is an actor who has given us innumerable outstanding performances. Be it the titular role in Joseph or ASI Maniyan from Nayattu, or even the villain shades of him in Ramante Edanthottam, Joju is an actor who has showcased the sheer talent and range he possesses. However, what surprised me is the way he can sing. The song Pandu Paadavarambathiloode from Joseph has verses sung by Joju himself! It was quite a pleasant and unique rendering as it had a rustic feel and naturality. These few verses showed us that Joju has a singer hidden in him, who could possibly be used to give many chartbusters. Joju George the actor and producer have already proved their worth, now the wait for Joju George the singer is on!
Murali Gopy
We know Murali Gopy as the son of legendary actor Bharat Gopy, and as the writer of several critically acclaimed films such as Left Right Left and Ee Adutha Kaalath. We also know him as the screenwriter for the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all times, Lucifer. We have seen Murali Gopy giving some strong performances as an actor in several films too. However, not many know that this talented individual had another talent that was as good as his writing and acting; singing. Murali Gopy has rendered several songs in his career. He started off with the song Chaanju Nikkana from Rasikan. He gained popularity for his singing with Kalippu from Premam and since then this side of him has gained prominence. His feature on Kappa TV’s Music Mojo, where he sang a few classic Hindi songs, went viral.
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Shane Nigam
Shane Nigam is widely known for his supernaturalistic acting performances, especially in Kumbalangi Nights. After having started off his acting career in unnoticed roles, Shane paved his way to success by consistently picking up stories and characters that challenged the actor in him. In his latest release Bhoothakaalam, Shane made his debut as a singer. His rendition of the only song in the film, Raa Thaarame, was surprisingly beautiful to listen to. In addition to singing the song, Shane wrote the lyrics and composed the song as well. Shane Nigam definitely made a chartbuster entry with Raa Thaarame and left the public wanting to hear more songs in Shane’s voice, and possibly his lyrics and composition. Shane Nigam as a musician is surely something to watch out for.
Those were my picks. Who else do you think belongs to the list? Do mention them in the comments. Also, do make sure to check out part 1 of this article.
