Singer Mano during an interaction at 'The Hindu' head office in Chennai on Thursday
| Photo Credit: Shivaraj S
“Every song has been a beautiful experience,” said singer Mano on Thursday, as he reflected on his four-decade journey in film music at The Hindu’s head office in Chennai.With over 10,000 songs in Tamil and Telugu, besides hundreds of numbers in other languages like Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali, Mano’s voice has been a constant companion for music fans during their highs and lows. In a freewheeling conversation, moderated by B. Kolappan, Senior Deputy Editor, The Hindu, Mr. Mano went down memory lane as he recalled his childhood tryst with music. “My father and grandfather were both musicians too. We were a family that staged several mythological dramas. I was named Nagore Babu, but from a young age, we went to all places of religious worship. By the time I was six or seven, I knew all the characters and the songs we were performing,” he said.Reflecting on his musical grounding, Mr. Mano credited his training in Carnatic music and his 2.5 year-experience with Tamil composer M.S. Viswanathan for his early success. “Working with him (MSV), I learnt how to write notes. I learnt the different styles of taalam. All this was very useful as my musical career progressed,” said Mr. Mano, who also had a long-standing relationship with Telugu composer K. Chakravarthy.It was maestro Ilaiyaraaja who christened him ‘Mano’, a name that has stayed with him. Mr. Mano said recording his debut track for Mr. Ilaiyaraaja, ‘Then Mozhi’, from Solla Thudikuthu Manasu, remains one of his most vivid memories. “Raja sir taught me the zha letter, which didn’t come to me naturally then,” said Mr. Mano, who went on to have a long musical journey with the Isaignani, which includes Enga Ooru Paatukaaran, a film in which he sang all songs. “It was unforgettable. I’m not sure how many singers would have such an experience.”
