Vanambadi P. of Malayalam. Today is 17 years since Leela Orma. Through Narayanialapanam, Gurupavanapuri is still alive today with Leela’s swaramadhuri. In the temples of South India, there were no deities who did not hear the praises of Lila and invoked the essence of devotion taught by Puntanam through Jnanapani.
Born in 1934 as the youngest daughter of EK Kunjanmenon-Meenakshikuttiamma couple in Palakkad Chittoor Porayattu family. Started studying music from childhood. He made his musical debut at the age of twelve in Madras under the auspices of ‘Andhramahilasabha’. In the 1946 Tamil film ‘Kanganam’, “Srivaralakshmi Divya….” He entered the film industry by singing the song.
She has sung many Malayalam songs. Children of many generations have heard this song. Just the song ‘Kannum Pootti Uppuka Neen’ composed by Dakshinamurthy in Snehaseema in 1954 is enough to make even many of today’s grandparents hum. In the 1950 film Shri, Chidambaranath also sang the Taratu song Omanathingalkitao by Iraimman Thambi, which was composed by Chidambaranath.
She started singing with Yesudas in the film Vidhi Tanna Valak. Later there were many duets by them. Some of the immortal songs sung by the Yesudas-P Leela duo are Swapnaman Swapnay U Svargakumarillo U Svargakumarillo (Kavya Mela), Chandrikailaliyunnu Chandrakantham (Beware of Wives), Ashtamutikayalile (Bride), Svarnachamarana Veeshinta (Yakshi), Akkarapachaile Anjanachola (Candidates Saramma) etc. The last time she sang in a movie was with Yesudas, in the song Karaut Maril Talodi in Thirakalkkappuram in 1998.
Vadaruthee Malarini, Kananachayailadu meikkan, Tarame Tarame, Tamarathumbi Vaa (KP Udayabhanu), West Manatulla (PB Srinivas), Kannaram Pothi Pothi (Kamukara), Kannum Pootiuranguka Neen (AM Raja) are duets sung with other famous singers.
P Leela initially gained most attention through V Dakshinamurthy’s songs. Kannane Kanden Sakhi, Swapnaman Swapnaman, Chandrikailaliyunnu Chandrakantham, Swargavatilekadashi, Devi Sridevi Chachi Vaninu Naam are all songs sung by Swami. Katha Katha Paingili also Ponnani Injikuthi I, Kalyana Mothiram, Unjaal Ponnujal (K Raghavan), Pennalle Pennala (Salil Choudhary), Kottum Ikhti Nikha, Kanni Nilavat, Innen Karalile Ponnani Padathoru (Baburaj) and many other eternally beautiful songs with other music directors.
In 1969, when the Kerala government started giving film awards, P Leela was chosen as the best singer for a song composed by G Devarajan. The award was given to ‘Singer of Ujjain’ in the movie Kadalapalam. Died on 31 October 2005.
The marriage, which lasted only fourteen months, had been separated earlier. He lived in Chennai with his sister.
Posthumously in 2006, the country honored him with the Padma Bhushan.