Chitra Iyer

Chitra Iyer (also credited as Chitra Sivaraman) is an Indian playback singer who has worked in Indian and Italian films across five different industries primarily in Malayalam.

Chitra Iyer
Iyer with Director Lenin Rajendran and all other cast of Malayalam film Ratri Mazha at Indian Panaorama during presentation on 24 November 2007 at Panji Goa
Iyer with Director Lenin Rajendran and all other cast of Malayalam film Ratri Mazha at Indian Panaorama during presentation on 24 November 2007 at Panji Goa
Background information
BornKarunagappally Kerala, India
GenresPlayback singing
Occupation(s)Singer, television host, Actor
Years active2000–present

A resident of Bangalore, Chitra worked extensively with A. R. Rahman during the early 2000s on his Tamil films, while also having an alternate career as a television host and actress on Malayalam television.[1][2]

Career

Early in her career, Chitra Iyer attempted to reach out to composer A. R. Rahman to work with him, but found it difficult as she was based out of Bangalore. In 2000, Rahman initiated contact with Chitra and invited her to come to Chennai with a demo cassette of her work, with Chitra recording a series of Tamil and Malayalam songs.[3] On the day of her visit to Chennai, Rahman immediately heard the songs and hired her to record for the song "Athini Sithini" for the film Thenali (2000) during the same evening. She subsequently continued to work for other composers in Tamil cinema including Karthik Raja, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Bharadwaj and Vidyasagar under her post-marriage name of Chitra Sivaraman. Furthermore, apart from in her mother tongue of Tamil, Chitra continued to sing playback for Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi films.[3]

In the Malayalam entertainment industry, she had an alternate career as an anchor of a Malayalam singing show, Jeeva's Sapta Swarangal and hosted it under her maiden name, Chitra Iyer. Having done her education in Kerala, she had a good foundation in the Malayalam language, with her work on the show leading to further opportunities to sing for films.[3]

Personal life

Chitra Iyer is married to former Air Force pilot Vinod Sivaraman since 12 July 1989. The pair met at the insistence of their parents at Chennai Gymkhana Club in early 1989, and have since had two daughters Aditi and Anjali.[4] Anjali is known for her performance in the 2023 Netflix series Class.

In recent years, alongside her television commitments, Chitra has worked as the founder and trustee of the Society for Elephant Welfare in Kerala.[5] She has also promoted farming with the state, supporting a project launched by her mother Rohini Iyer.[6] Likewise, she launched a software company, Darkhorse Productions, in 2013 alongside her daughters Aditi and Anjali Sivaraman.[7]

Notable discography
Tamil
YearSong titleFilmMusic DirectorNotes
2000"Athini Sithini"ThenaliA. R. Rahman
2001"Athan Varuvaga"Dumm Dumm DummKarthik Raja
2001"Adi Nenthikkitten"StarA. R. Rahman
2001"Thozha Thozha"Pandavar BhoomiBharadwaj
2001"Colour Colour"Manadhai ThirudivittaiYuvan Shankar Raja
2001"Panjaangam Paarakadhe"ThavasiVidyasagar
2002"Neruppu Koothadikudhu"Thulluvadho IlamaiYuvan Shankar Raja
2002"Dhuan Dhuan Sa"16 DecemberKarthik Raja
2003"Vasiyakaara"Pudhiya GeethaiYuvan Shankar Raja
2003"Ale Ale"BoysA. R. Rahman
2003"Asathura"Enakku 20 Unakku 18A. R. Rahman
2004"Anarkali"Kangalal Kaidhu SeiA. R. Rahman
2004"Bommalattam"BoseYuvan Shankar Raja
Malayalam
YearSong titleFilmMusic Director
1996KunjikattinNaalamkettile Nalla ThampimarSP Venkatesh
1998Aadharam MadhuramGramapanchayathBerny Ignatius
1998Thankamani TharamayKudumba Varthakkal
2001Kalakalam PadumKorappam the GreatBalabhaskar
2002Raavinte DevahridayamMazhathullikilukkamSuresh Peters
2002Kaatoram KadaloramSisiramBerny Ignatius
2002Pakkala
2003IshtamalladaSwapnakooduMohan Sithara
2003Chundatu chettipooChronic BachelorDeepak Dev
2003Nalkani AayaloOttakambi NadamRamesh Narayan
2003Oru Swapnam
2004Valentine ValentineYouth FestivalM. Jayachandran
2004MaatupettiMayilattam
2004Paalathil ThallithaliUdayamMohan Sithara
2004Rithame
2005Oru SwapnamDecemberJassie Gift
2005Kadamthadi
2006KusumavadanaMadhuchandralekhaM. Jayachandran
2006KaadukuliranaBada Dosth
2007Sneham KondoruSooryakireedamBennet
2007Sneham Kondoru (slow)
2011MaanmizhiMetroShaan Rahman
2011Maanmizhi (Remix)
2013Hey EthuvazhiArikil OraalGopi Sundar

Television
  • Sapthaswarangal (Asianet) as Host
  • Idea Star singer 2006 (Asianet) as Judge
  • Voice of Kerala (Surya TV) as Judge
  • Sangeetha Mahayudham (Surya TV) as Team Captain
  • Malayalee House (Surya TV) as Contestant
  • Super Star Global (Amrita TV) as Judge
  • Flowers Oru Kodi (Flowers TV) as Contestant
Other TV Shows as guest
  • JB Junction
  • Onnum Onnum Moonu
  • Symphony
  • Ente Daivam
  • Tharapakittu
  • Annonyam
  • Tarang
  • Thara Dambathimarude Samsthana Sammelanam

She has also performed in a few Mauritius Television shows as Performer

TV serials - Malayalam
YearTitleChannelRoleNotes
2002VenalmazhaSurya TV—Singer - Thalirayi song
2013KumkumapoovuAsianetJithan's friendSuper hit
2015-2016Eeran NilavuFlowers (TV channel)Vidyabharathi
2018–2019GauriSurya TVYamini

Filmography

References
  1. "Find a track - Asian Network - BBC Music". BBC. Archived from the original on 1 January 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  2. "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories". The Tribune. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  3. "When fortune met talent..." The Hindu. 2 January 2004. Archived from the original on 20 November 2004. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  4. "shevlin's world: July 2013". shevlinsebastian.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  5. "Society for Elephant Welfare". sew-india.org. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  6. "Mathrubhumi: ReadMore -'Rohini Iyer earns income through varied farming'". mathrubhumi.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  7. "DARKHORSE PRODUCTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED". Indian Company Info. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
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