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K. Rani (1943 – 13 July 2018)^[1] was an Indian playback singer who has recorded over 500 songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Bengali, Sinhala and Uzbek. Rani was the first female singer from India to sing in Sinhala and Uzbek, and sang the national anthem of Sri Lanka (the "Sri Lanka Matha").^[2]

She performed before President of India Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and Indian National Congress leader K. Kamaraj called her "Innisai Rani". Rani was invited to perform at the Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya centennial, travelling in an aeroplane chartered by the government of Karnataka.^[3]Raj Kapoor provided the rhythms when she sang Hindi songs, including "O Maine Pyar Kia, Mai Kya Karu Ram Mujhe Budda Mil Gaya", at a stage show.^[4]

Early life

Her family migrated from Kanpur to South India. Her father, Kishan Singh was a Railway Station Master and was transferred frequently from station to station. This gave Rani an opportunity to become conversant with different languages. At the age of 5 or 6 she got a chance to sing in a stage. She sang on stages where Vyjayanthimala's dance programs were taking place. She sang songs during the dress change-over interludes. One day, during such a program at Raja Annamalai Mandram, music composer C. R. Subburaman was present. He noticed the little girl's talent and introduced her as a playback singer in films.^[5]

Life and career

Rani's first films, in 1951 at age eight, were the Telugu Roopavathi and Tamil Mohana Sundaram and Singari. A year later, she was singing for lead characters in films like Kalyani, Kalyanam Panni Paar, Pelli Chesi Choodu, Dharma Devadhai and Dharma Devadha. Rani's "Antha Bhranthi Yenaa" (Telugu) and "Ellaam Maayai Thaanaa" (Tamil), from 1953's Devadasu, were popular.

She first performed in Sri Lankan cinema for Sujatha in 1953 under the direction of composer Ananda Samarakoon, and contributed to Seda Sulang in 1955 and Sirimali in 1959.^[6] Much sought after during the 1950s, Rani had few songs in the early 1960s. She sang Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) songs and recorded Tamil Islamic songs with Nagore E. M. Hanifa.^[7]

Composers

Many of Rani's songs were written by C. R. Subburaman and G. Ramanathan. She also sang for Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, K. V. Mahadevan, Ghantasala. Ogirala Ramachandra Rao, S. Dakshinamurthi, T. G. Lingappa, S. V. Venkatraman, T. R. Ramanathan, T. A. Kalyanam, Pendyala Nageshwara Rao, T. V. Raju, Master Venu, Vedha, L. Malleswara Rao. Ananda Samarakoon, V. Dakshinamoorthy, A. M. Rajah, T. Chalapathi Rao, M. B. Sreenivasan, Vimal Kumar, H. R. Padmanabha Sasthri, C. N. Pandurangan, V. Krishnamurthi, Saluri Rajeswara Rao and Saluri Hanumantha Rao.

Fellow playback singers

Rani sang duets with Ghantasala, and sang with A. M. Rajah, P. B. Sreenivas, T. M. Soundararajan., Thiruchi Loganathan, J. P. Chandrababu, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, S. C. Krishnan, V. N. Sundharam, K. H. Reddy, p Pithapuram Nageswara Rao, M. Sathyam. Pendyala Nageshwara Rao, P. Suri Babu, J. V. Raghavulu, A. L. Raghavan, K. Chellamuthu, S. V. Ponnusamy, Subramanyam, K. P. Udayabhanu, K. J. Yesudas, Ananda Samarakoon, Dharmadasap Walpola, Mohideen Baig, Sunil Premadasa and Christy Leonard Perera. She sang duets with female singers, most notably Jikki but also with P. Leela, P. Suseela, K. Jamuna Rani. A. P. Komala, A. G. Rathnamala, Radha Jayalakshmi, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, P. Bhanumathi, R. Balasaraswathi Devi, Swarnalata, P. S. Vaidehi, Udutha Sarojini and L. R. Eswari.

Filmography

1. Ore Gunna: Swayam Prabha


2. Thelisene Ranga Rangeli - Madhana Manjari (with PBS)


3. Netru Andhi Neratthile - Santhippu


4. Aanandha Vaibogam (with Jikki)

Tamil Islamic songs

Tamil Islamic songs with Nagore E. M. Hanifa:

1. "Odhuvom Vaarungal"


2. "Dheenore Niyayama"


3. "Vaazha Vaazha Nalla Vazhigal Undu"


4. "Arul Mevum Aandavare"

DMK songs

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) songs with Hanifa:

1. "Azhaikkindraar Azhaikkindraar Annaa"


2. "Vaazhga Dhraavida Naadu"


3. "Annaa Vaazhgave ... Annai Mozhi Kaatthu Nirkkum"

References

External links

• Article on K. Rani in Raja Music Bank, 2011


• K. Rani Tamil songs inp0p Gaana.Com


• 
  K. Rani Telugu songs in Telugulyrics.Com p


• K. Rani Telugu songs in Old Telugu Songs.Com


• K. Rani Telugu songs in Early Tollywood


• List of Malayalam Songs by Singers K Rani