Soulful melodies of yesteryear singer Mehboob, whose voice enlivened several evenings in suburban West Kochi, were brought back to life by singers S. Srihari and Sony Sai on the legendary musician’s 34{+t}{+h}death anniversary on Wednesday.
The tribute to the master singer was as part of the Kochi Muziris Biennale’s ‘Arts and Medicine’ series held at Ernakulam General Hospital in collaboration with Mehboob Memorial Orchestra.
H. Mehboob, born in Mattancherry, rendered the hugely popular and playful number ‘Maanennum Vilikkilla’ in 1954 for the epoch-making film ‘Neelakkuyil’, which won both national and state film honours. Srihari and Sony crooned the three-and-a-half minute ditty with élan, evoking memories of the impromptu musical sessions led by Mehboob at Fort Kochi until he breathed his last in 1981 aged 55.
Srihari and Sony also sang several memorable numbers from old Malayalam films, drumming up sepia-tinted memories of a bygone era.
Asian Masters Athletics medal winner Geetha V Menon was the chief guest of the 59{+t}{+h}edition of the ‘Arts and Medicine’ event. The rendition of classical melodies turned the hospital ambience festive and lively. The burgeoning crowd of patients, bystanders and hospital staff cheered as Srihari, a class XI student who recently released his maiden album ‘Rama Geetam’, sang ‘Arikil Neeyundayirunnenkil’ from the film ‘Neeyethra Dhanya’.
Sony, who had lent voice to several songs in films like ‘Bombay March 12’, ‘Nidra’ and ‘Dheera’, crooned ‘Kannamthumbi Poraamo’ from movie ‘Kakkothikkavile Appooppanthadikal’, much to the delight of the onlookers.
‘Katte Katte nee pookkamarathilu’ from the movie ‘Celluloid’ which has the flavour of an old melody and the evergreen ‘Etho Varmukilin’ from ‘Pookkalam Varavayi’ were also rendered at the event.
