SPB was a person who enjoyed his own life differently from the usual singers. In an interview, Balu said, “I don’t want to live like a monk who devotes his life to music and sings songs with perfect devotion …” He was a chain smoker for thirty-five consecutive years. Balu himself says that he stopped later and did not think about the song. Was a social drinker. Eat all cold water and vinegar. “If you do not eat a meal that means you have a sore throat, then it’s alien to you. Ice cream, cold water and juice should be a part of our lives.
SPB’s dedication to the song cannot be underestimated, given that he ate his favorite food. He was adamant that the song should suit the character in the film and bring maximum originality. He was willing to go to any lengths for it. Often it has thrown him into some trouble. One such incident took place in 1989, when Kamal Haasan was singing for the Telugu film ‘Indrudu Chandrudu’. SPB in the film has a very different song. Kamal Haasan, who starred in it as a young man, has a total rough, rock-solid voice-like voice modulation. When Kamal asked if he could sing in the same modulation, SPB nodded. After several rehearsals, the mistake was realized after singing the song. Balu has a sore throat due to the strain taken for the song. After this song, when Anjali went to sing the next song for the movie, she realized the seriousness of the problem. Singing one line and choking on the next line. The rumor is wrong. The total problem.
A week later, the dubbing of ‘Idayathe Thirudathe’ is going on. Even there, Balu’s voice is homicidal. Three months later. There is no sign of Balu’s voice coming back. As if the character of the sound and the moisture were lost. When Balu returned home, he tried many Ayurvedic herbs and folk remedies. Yet there was no improvement in the throat. This means that even medical technology is not as advanced as it is today. Not even endoscopy was available in all hospitals.
The SPB was examined by Dr. Ramalingam, a well-known specialist in Chennai. Even in his hospital there was no endoscopy back then. Balu was taken to Perumpur Railway Hospital where he underwent endoscopy. After examining Balu’s throat, Dr. Ramalingam was diagnosed with ‘Singers Nodule’. Swelling of the vocal cords. No problem, Ichiri is a risk but the doctor said that the nodule can be removed through surgery.
Inside the vocal cords is a subtle and intricate design, as seen from the inside when the orange peel is broken. There is a risk in removing this baby tumor from within. Balu’s voice may even be lost if something goes wrong. Excess of one tissue can lead to a larger issue. At first Balu was scared. He hesitated. Because many informants and gurus like Lata Mangeshkar told Balu, “No, don’t touch the metal on your vocal chords that God has so graciously given you. Then you may never be able to sing. Do not.” After hearing this, Balu tried to cure the disease by taking medicine for six months. Has not changed. He was upset when the dates given by Balu to the music directors started to go wrong. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.
Balu prepared his mind to make that decision as he was about to slip into a total depression. See you where you come from. Do this surgery anyway. At that time, Dr. Balu. He opened his throat in front of Ramalingam’s knife. Nothing happened as he feared. With a smirk, the doctor removed the lump from the singer’s throat. Balu again sang popular songs.
Another memorable moment in Balu’s life is when a Sri Lankan fan who lost his sight in an accident sings an SPB song and the next line is sung right behind him. Balu’s kind demeanor was directed at a Sri Lankan professor named Maran. This is how he regained his life by listening to the songs of SPB Sir after losing his sight in an unforeseen accident. Maran Varnam was remembered in an interview on the channel Malaysia.
After that the channel presenter asked him to sing any SPB hit he liked. He began to sing. Suddenly the voice of his favorite singer came directly from behind Maran’s ear. Total amazement prof. Maran beheaded. Suddenly Balu’s hand rested on his shoulder. “I sometimes try to sing like SP Balasubramaniam”. Balu, who seemed to have surprised Maran with his words, said again, “I am Balasubramaniam, SP Balasubramaniam. I am very happy to see you like this.” At that moment, Maran’s eyes filled with tears of joy.
There are so many unforgettable moments in Balu ‘s life. He left the field as a great man who made life a celebration and entertained all those who stood with him. The man who left us yesterday said in an interview, “I love my life, Mudincha I don’t want to die sir …”.
