Legendary singer P Jayachandran passes away at 80

Veteran playback singer P Jayachandran, aged 80, whose dulcet voice captivated the hearts of Malayalis for over six decades, passed away on Thursday. He passed away at 7.54 pm at Amala Hospital, Thrissur. He had been undergoing treatment for cancer for a long time and was rushed to the hospital after collapsing at home on Thursday evening.

The last rites of Jayachandran will be held on Saturday at 3 pm at his residence, Paliyath House, in Chennamangalam. The body will be kept for public viewing on Friday, from 8 am to 10 am, at his residence in Punkunnam and from 10 am to 12 pm at the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.

Throughout his illustrious career, Jayachandran captured every emotion— love, longing, devotion— through his soulful renditions. He lent his voice to more than 16,000 songs across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, cementing his place as one of the most celebrated voices in Indian cinema. His timeless voice and emotive renditions have given his songs an enduring charm, allowing them to linger in listeners’ memories long after they are heard.

His achievements include the prestigious National Film Award for Best Playback Singer, five Kerala State Film Awards, the JC Daniel Award from the Government of Kerala, and the Kalaimamani Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu, along with four Tamil Nadu State Awards. He is survived by his wife, Lalitha, daughter Lakshmi, and son Dinanathan, who has also made a name for himself in the music industry.

Born on March 3, 1944, in Ernakulam, Jayachandran was the third son of Ravivarma Kochanian Thamburan of Tripunithura Kovilakam and Subhadrakunjamma of the Paliyam Palace in Chendamangalam. His family later moved to the Paliyam house at Irinjalakuda. As a child, he dabbled in traditional percussion instruments, studying the chenda for a while before moving on to the mridangam.

Jayachandran’s love for music was sparked by his father, an avid singer and music enthusiast. He sang frequently at school and in a nearby Christian church, with his schooling taking him to Paliyam School in Chendamangalam, Aluva St. Mary’s High School, and Irinjalakuda National High School. In 1958, at the inaugural State School Youth Festival, he won first place in mridangam and second in light music—while it was Yesudas who claimed first in both light and classical music.

After graduating with a degree in Zoology from Christ College, Irinjalakuda, Jayachandran worked briefly at a private company in Madras. But his destiny changed when film makers Shobhana Parameswaran Nair and A. Vincent heard him sing at an event in Chennai and invited him to perform in Malayalam cinema. In 1965, he recorded his first song, “Oru Mullappoomalayumaayi,” for the film Kunhalimarikkar, written by P. Bhaskaran and composed by Chidambaranath. Although the film's release was delayed, music director G Devarajan, impressed by the song, offered him another opportunity in the film Kalithozhan. There, Jayachandran’s song “Manjalayil Mungi Thorthi” became an all-time hit, marking his official debut. And from there, he never looked back, soon leaving his job to pursue a full-time career in music.

And just when it seemed like he was fading into oblivion, Jayachandran amazed audiences with his remarkable return to playback singing in 1999 after a hiatus of over a decade with the song `Prayam Nammil’ , in the movie Niram. From there on,  he continued to grace the industry with his soulful voice for another two decades, captivating listeners once again.

 In Tamil cinema, he forged close collaborations with iconic music composers like Ilayaraja and AR Rahman, establishing a distinct presence in the film industry there.

Some of the most unforgettable songs sung by Jayachandran include Manjalayil Mungi Thorthi, Neelagiriyude Sakhikale, Thiruvabharanam Charthi Vidarnnu, Ramsanile Chandrikayo, Karimukil Kaattile, Kevala marthya Bhasha, Prayam Nammil Moham Nalki, Kallayikadavathe, Enthe Innum Vanneela and Araraarum Kanaathe... to name just a few.

He also left a lasting impression in the world of non-film music, with light melodies like Onnini Sruthi Thazhthi, Jayadeva Kaviyude Geethikal, Smrithithan Chirakileri Njan, and music albums such as Onninumallathe Enthino Thonniyorishtam, among others.