Renowned classical and playback singer Kalyani Menon passed away on Monday at a private hospital in Chennai due to age-related illness. She was 80.
Kalyani, the mother of noted cinema director and founder of Mindscreen Film Institute, Rajiv Menon, developed symptoms of stroke and was immediately rushed to the hospital where she breathed her last. The last rites and cremation would take place in the city's Besant Nagar on Tuesday afternoon.
Menon's famous songs with noted singer K J Yesudas in Malayalam include "Rithubheda Kalpana Charutha Nalkiya" of 1983 movie "Mangalam Nerunnu" and "Pavanarachezhuthunnu Kolangalennum" of Mohanlal-starrer "Vietnam Colony" released in the year 1992.
Born in Ernakulam, Menon started singing at the age of five in the "Navaratri sangeeth utsav" organised in the famous TDM hall there. She began her career as a playback singer by singing in Thoppil Bhasi-directed Malayalam movie "Abala".
Besides Malayalam, she has sung in a number of Tamil movies, for top musicians Ilayaraja and AR Rahman.
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