Indian film singer Yesudas to perform in Hong Kong
K.J. Yesudas is the epitome of the Indian film singer after his early years of hardship and prejudice
The numbers that one associates with the Indian movie industry are always mind-boggling to those outside. But even in a country that churns out hundreds of movies every year, the numbers that singer Kattassery Joseph Yesudas have racked up are impressive. Even more so, when you consider that a major portion of his works are not associated with the Hindi language movies that make up the main output of Bollywood.
Popularly known as Yesudas, he has recorded more than 40,000 songs since he started singing in the 1960s, bagged the yearly national award for best singer a record seven times, recorded songs in more than a dozen languages and won more than 40 annual awards given by various states in India.
But his greatest achievement is his longevity: over five decades, Yesudas has scored hit songs in various languages and still is a towering presence in the Indian film music industry despite the changes in form and technology of the art he is involved in.
And now Hong Kong will see him perform at a concert on September 6 at Youth Square in Chai Wan.
Born in 1940, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Yesudas has sung most of his songs for the films made in the state's language, Malayalam. But he transcended almost every language in the country (where each state has its own language and script) and his voice is instantly recognised almost anywhere in the country. The Indian government honoured him with the third-highest civilian award of Padma Bhushan in 2002. But even more valuable has been the legion of fans he has accrued over the years, a following that cuts across ages, languages and generations.
But the journey to his legendary status was not a path of roses. His talent was recognised very early, right from the days when he won his first prize as an eight-year-old in a competition in the city of Cochin, where he grew up. But being born into a Christian family in a Hindu-dominated society as the son of a struggling stage actor meant the doors of opportunity were often shut to him - especially at a time when music was seen as a domain of the upper caste Hindus and the classical tradition of Carnatic music was a religious affair connected to the temples.
