S. P. Balasubrahmanyam birth anniversary: Fans recall the legend's 'soulful' voice & work

Legendary singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, who was fondly called SPB by fans, was born on June 4, 1946. On his 75th birth anniversary, fans rushed to social media to remember the work of one of Indian cinema’s greatest playback singers. In his journey for over five decades, he amazed fans with his songs, acting and dubbing skills. More so, he was also a director, television presenter and producer. 

Netizens remember S. P. Balasubrahmanyam on his birth anniversary

A fan called SPB the "musical emperor of Indian cinema" and recalled his evergreen work. A bunch of users wrote that he's always in his fans' heart and his contribution is unparalleled and unforgettable. Another tweet read, "Happy birthday to the man who has been with me in all situations. The voice of music." A user also shared a video that gave a sneak peek into his awards and accolades. "Your legacy will live on forever, thank you for everything," read another thread on the micro-blogging platform. 

SPB's death date

It was August 5, 2020, when the 74-year-old playback singer was admitted to the hospital for COVID-19. However, his health deteriorated on August 13. On August 28, MGM Healthcare's Assistant Director of Medical Services, Dr Anuradha Baskaran had said in a statement, "He continues to be closely monitored by our multidisciplinary clinical team." The hospital had said that the singer was conscious, responsive and participating in "passive" physiotherapy. He continued to be on a ventilator and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in the Intensive Care Unit. However, he breathed his last on September 25 in a private hospital in Chennai.

SP Balasubrahmanyam made his singing debut in 1966 with the Telugu movie, Sri Sri Sri Maryada Ramanna. He was honoured at the Kamban Pugazh Virudhh 2020, Sri Lanka, for his massive work. In one of his posts on Instagram, he had penned, "The only thing better than singing is more singing". On August 5, he had shared a video and had given a health update. Meanwhile, the legendary singer has sung songs in multiple languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi in his illustrious career. 

(IMAGE: SP BALASUBRAHMANYAM INSTAGRAM) (PTI INPUTS)