Singer Vani Jayaram found dead at her Chennai residence

Chennai, Feb 04: Veteran playback singer Vani Jayaram was found dead at her residence in Chennai on Saturday, Thousand Lights Police told news agency ANI.

A report in a daily claims that she passed away at her residence on Haddows Road, Nungambakkam in Chennai. She has reportedly suffered an injury on her forehead.

"I rang the bell five times at Vani Jairam's residence. But she didn't open the door. Even my husband called her up but she didn't receive the call. It's only she who stays at this residence," Malarkodi, Vani Jairam's maid, told news agency.

The singer, who lent her voice for over 10,000 songs in 19 languages, was 77.

Who was Vani Jayaram?
Born in a Tamil Brahmins family on November 1945, singing naturally attracted as her family had trained classical musicians. She was the fifth daughter in a family of six daughters and three songs. After getting trained under the guidance of Kadalur Srinivas Iyengar, T. R. Balasubramanian and RS Mani, she her first public performance at the All India Radio, Madras.

She made her playback singing debut with 'Guddi' (1971). Thereafter, there was no looking back for her as her popularity rose year after year. As a result, she went on to sing in 19 languages including Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia and Tulu among others.

'Johnny Mera Naam', 'Aaina', 'Khoon Ka Badla Khoon' and 'Wafadaar' are some of the movies in which he sung.

'Dheerga Sumangali', 'Apoorva Raagangal', 'Polladhavan', 'Bala Nagamma', 'Thillu Mullu', 'Moondru Mugam', 'Thanga Magan', 'Padikkadavan', 'Sri Raghavendrar' and 'Kaaviya Thalaivan' are some of the movies in which she lent her voice for songs.

Her popular movies in Kannada include 'Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu', 'Kalla Kulla', 'Shubhamangala', 'Bayalu Daari', 'Shankar Guru', 'Maria My Darling ', 'Hosa Belaku', 'Jimmy Gallu', 'Bhakta Prahlada', 'Kaviratna Kalidasa', 'Shravana Banthu', 'Dhruva Thare', 'Premaloka', 'Ranadheera' and 'Beladingala Baale' She sang songs in Tollywood in the movie such as 'Maro Charitra', 'Vayasu Pilichindi', 'Sankarabharanam' and 'Gharshana' in Telugu.