Winning national award was complete surprise: Singer Vaikom Vijayalakshmi

Kottayam (Kerala), Jul 18 (PTI) Popular playback singer Vaikom Vijayalakshmi, known for her unique and soulful voice, on Saturday said winning the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer came as a “complete surprise” and was something she had never expected.

Vijayalakshmi received the honour at the 72nd National Film Awards for rendering the song “Angu Vaanakonil” in ‘Ajayante Randam Moshanam’. (ARM), directed by Jithin Laal.

“I had absolutely no idea that the awards had been announced. A friend from Ernakulam called to congratulate me. When he wished me, I asked him what it was for. That’s when he told me I had won the National Award. It was a huge surprise,” she told reporters at her home here.

The singer said she had never expected

the awards to be announced so soon and described the recognition as a mark of “God’s grace”.

Recalling the recording of the song, Vijayalakshmi said it was completed smoothly in Ernakulam under the guidance of music director Dhibu Ninan Thomas, who explained the emotions required for the rendition.

“He wanted me to sing it as though a grandmother was narrating a story to her grandson. I followed his guidance, and he was very happy with the outcome,” she said.

Penned by Manu Manjith and composed by Dhibu Ninan Thomas, the song appears in ‘ARM’ as a lullaby sung by the character Manikyam, played by Surabhi Lakshmi, to her grandson Ajayan in the film starring Tovino Thomas.

Blind since birth, Vijayalakshmi has carved a niche for herself in Malayalam cinema with her distinctive voice. She is also known for her mastery of the rare single-stringed instrument, the Gayathri Veena.

She rose to prominence with the song “Kaatte Kaatte Nee Pookkaamarathil” from the Malayalam film ‘Celluloid’ and has since established herself as one of Kerala’s most acclaimed playback singers. PTI LGK SSK