When Kamal Haasan's voice was enough

Playback singing is the quintessential Indian cinema art form. With pre-recorded songs, later lip-synced by actors on screen, the performance you see is not just of the actors but is also coloured by the emotional range of the singers. If you study Kamal Haasan, through this lens, a curious, oft-unseen perspective is gleaned: the veteran’s acting prowess transcends physicality. He could imbibe the situational mood of a scene and elevate the performance so that its emotional resonance is amplified. There is a guttural rawness to his voice that captures something primal in a way the flawless ebb and flow of a professional singer’s voice rarely does.

Kamal’s excellence as a playback singer is by no means a secret. From ‘Ninaivo Oru Paravai’ (Sigappu Rojakkal), ‘Vikram Title Track’ (Vikram, 1986), ‘Thenpandi Cheemayile’ (Nayakan), ‘Potta Padiyudhu’ (Sathya), ‘Raja Kaiya Vachchaa’ (Apoorva Sagodharargal), ‘Inji Idupazhagi’ (Thevar Magan), to ‘Kombulae Poova Suthi’ (Virumandi) and the recent ‘Pathala Pathala’ (Vikram, 2022), the list of hit tracks belted out by the veteran actor is long and unforgettable. However, the one common denominator in the above-mentioned list is Kamal himself lip-syncing to these songs on the screen. What often slips under the radar are those rare moments when the legendary star lent his voice to the performance of another actor. On the occasion of Kamal Haasan’s birthday, we spot five instances when the star contained his skill as a performer within the confines of playback singing, and yet still somehow stole the show as he always does.

Yaaro Ivan Yaaro-Meiyazhagan (2024):

Melancholy and Nostalgia: Let’s get the recency bias out of the way. In Meiyazhagan’s 'Yaaro Ivan Yaaro' Kamal Haasan captures the weight of Arul’s (Aravind Swamy) melancholy as he leaves his hometown once again. Soaked in a sombre tone that sounds almost like a wailing cry, Kamal the singer acts as a surrogate for the character’s guilt of leaving those who showered love upon him and his own lost sense of belonging. In tune with the subtlety of the film, 'Yaaro Ivan Yaaro' is sung with a careful measure of both melancholy, pathos, and nostalgia, never crossing the line into full-blown sadness and yet dancing along the sweet spot where overwhelming love and hesitation to reach out and grab it, ultimately grows into yearning. 

Neruppu Vaayinil-Pudhupettai (2006)

Paranoia and mockery: The rustic charm of a rooted gangster drama like Pudhupettai becomes the perfect playground for the foreboding nature of Kamal’s deep voice. The Yuvan Shankar Raja composition plays at a pivotal moment in Pudhupettai where Kokki Kumar’s paranoia reaches a crescendo. In the beginning, with every intonation and line of the lyrics, Kamal maintains a sinister and mysterious tone that later bursts into full-blown paranoia. He captures Kokki Kumar’s anxiety with an almost malevolent glee, even tapering off certain lines with his signature laugh. What starts off as a representation of Kokki Kumar’s paranoia quickly turns into a mockery of his fear.

Sudupattadha-Nala Dhamayanthi (2003)

The narrator: While Kamal brings out the emotions of the protagonist in the last two songs, he turns into a playful narrator in Nala Dhamayanthi. A hopelessly naive Tamil cook is suddenly dropped in the middle of bustling Australia and his fish-out-of-water plight is humorously narrated in this upbeat song. Kamal’s voice breezes through the contours of 'Sudupattadha' as if he is taking the audience on a toy train ride through the winding hills as he points at the several-foot-deep chasm below, which is supposed to represent the protagonist’s fear and bewilderment. In this short, playful song, Kamal masterfully finds humour in chewing and spitting out words like ‘Sudupattadha, Chattisuttatha’.

Mutthey Mutthamma-Ullaasam (1997)
The classic love song: This classic Tamil love duet carries the youthful energy of Kamal’s own 'Pottu Vaitha Kathal Thittam' from Singaravelan, with the actor bringing out his singing prowess for Ajith this time. In this techno number, Kamal turns on the charm, even surpassing the overpowering music to meet Swarnalatha’s lilting voice. None of the rawness usually associated with Kamal’s singing is seen here as he brings down the range to a soft and mellow yet masculine cadence. The song makes you wish Kamal had sung more upbeat romantic songs.

Ponmanai Theduthe-Oh Maane Maane (1984)
Unfettered jubilation: Known for an unbelievably long line-up of hit songs in the 80s, actor Mohan finds himself lip-syncing to Kamal Haasan in his 1984 film, Oh Maane Maane. This underrated song by Kamal’s favourite collaborator Ilaiyaraaja is striking for largely subduing Kamal’s signature cadence. The legendary composer unearths a Kamal voice that is reminiscent of his early years. Almost the entire allure of this song comes from the evident fact that Kamal is thoroughly enjoying himself, or maybe he makes you believe so with that soulfully triumphant voice, which goes without saying, is the mark of a good actor.

(Written by Prashanth Vallavan)