An appraisal of Indian film singer, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam (1946–2020)
Millions of Indian music lovers around the world have mourned the passing of playback singer, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, from COVID-19. Popularly known as SPB or Balu, the acclaimed singer died on September 25, aged 74, having struggled with the disease for more than a month in a Chennai private hospital.
Playback singing where songs are pre-recorded for films and then mimed by actors is an essential element in Indian and Pakistani cinema, particularly movies from Bollywood and other popular production houses on the subcontinent. Playback singers in Indian cinema, one of the most prolific film industries in the world, have the same status as actors.