'We have lost a member of our family'

Families of late actors Dr Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan and Ambareesh have said that the void, left behind by S P Balasubhramanyam, cannot be filled easily.

“It’s like we have lost a member of our family. He was a brother, friend and a close member of the family,” they said in one voice.

Actor Puneeth Rajkumar, son of thespian Rajkumar, said SPB will be remembered and revered forever as far as songs in Indian cinema are concerned.

“As children, we were so used to hearing three people sing-- SPB, my father, and P B Sreenivas. We thought they were all from our state because they sang so proficiently. As we grew up, we came to know that SPB sir’s speciality was that he sang in all languages. When you hear the voice, you know it is SPB,” Puneeth told DH.

He also felt SPB had an unmistakable style. “He sang a slew of beautiful songs for ‘Anand’ when my brother Shivarajkumar was introduced in it in 1986. He also sang for our home production’ Sri Srinivasa Kalyana. I was fortunate to share my voice with him for ‘Bettada Hoovu’.

“I have never performed for any of his songs. But we were lucky to have him sing for us in ‘Maya Bazar.’ I am honoured that his last song in Kannada was for my film --- a thought that I can cherish for as long as I can remember,” Puneeth said.

Sumalatha, actor-turned-MP and late actor Ambareesh’s wife, said she was praying for a miracle to save SPB. “He was a very dear friend of Ambareesh. He once cancelled a US tour to be here to sing for Ambareesh’s 60th birthday. He would always call on us whenever he was in Bengaluru. I feel like we have lost a big part of our lives. The film industry has lost a precious soul,” Sumalatha said.

“Whenever I saw Ambareesh or Vishnuvardhan sing on screen, I felt like they were singing. He made sure he sang in the style of the actor that he was singing for. That was a rare talent,” she added.

Sumalatha also felt that he never wore his popularity on his sleeves. “Humility was his stand-out quality,” he adds.

Actor Bharathi Vishnuvardhan said it is painful to digest the news that SPB is no more. “His achievement was no ordinary one. There is nobody, across the globe, who doesn’t know him. Vishnuvardhan and SPB were like two bodies and one voice.”

“Whenever SPB came home, he and Vishunuvardhan, would never part ways without singing a couple of songs together. The house came alive when he was around us. I also remember that SPB would enjoy every meal he had in our home, however simple, it was,” Bharathi said.