Sindhu Delson on her playback debut in Mammootty-starrer ‘Kalamkaval’

Sindhu Delson is still trying to figure out how to deal with her new-found fame. Ever since the release of the lyric video of her first song as a playback singer, ‘Nilaa kaayum’, the Tamil track from the Mammootty-starrer Kalamkaval, Sindhu is ecstatic. Her dulcet voice and the vintage feel of the song composed by Mujeeb Majeed is getting a lot of love from the listeners. The film, directed by Jithin K Jose, will release soon.

“You talk about dreams coming true and here I am who never ever thought of singing in a movie. I have been happy singing for myself and posting them on Smule (karaoke app). And then Kalamkaval happened,” says Sindhu.

The chance came through her elder son, Nevin C Delson, an additional programmer in Kalamkaval. A singer and sound engineer, Nevin has been working in the music industry for some time, after starting his career with Gopi Sundar. “The team of Kalamkaval was looking for a specific voice for the song. Since I have been singing a lot of old songs, my son wanted me to give it a shot. The composer and director were happy with my rendition of the song,” says Sindhu.

Sindhu Delson
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Written by Vinayak Sasikumar, the song has an old world charm about it, probably because of Sindhu’s voice and the arrangement. “People have commented that they were reminded of Vani Amma (Vani Jayaram) and Janaki Amma (S Janaki). The composition itself is so soothing, and might even remind you of an evergreen Ilaiyaraaja song,” she says.

Since not much has been revealed about the storyline of Kalamkaval, Sindhu also does not not divulge anything about the song’s placement in the narrative. “I didn’t know that they will be releasing a lyric video. Once it came out, I could not sleep after reading so many positive comments and messages on social media. I couldn’t process it all. It was my son who activated an account on Instagram since I am new to all this. I am scared to reply to some messages and comments, especially those related to the movie since not much has been spoken about it.”

A member of some music groups on social media, Sindhu, 45, has learnt music only for a few years. “After that my singing mostly happened when I prepared my son for music reality shows. Although I have done a few devotional concerts, I was never into it because I have stage fear and had breathing issues as well. So I never thought that I would do it professionally one day. I just loved singing for myself. In fact, after the pandemic, I couldn’t sing for some time due to health issues. Once things got better, I used to record songs and loved listening to my voice,” says Sindhu, a Kochi-native currently living at Harippad, with husband CC Delson, who runs a business, and two sons, Nevin and Mebin.

Sindhu, who sings in multiple languages, is a huge fan of Vani Jayaram and S Janaki.

She adds, “My son always ask me to practice and take music seriously. I would jokingly say that I might sing in films some day even though there was not even remote possibility of it happening. But life is unpredictable. It is unbelievable that the debut has happened in a Mammootty movie. In fact, my son also sang for the first time in a Mammootty-starrer, as part of the chorus, when he was a kid.”

She adds, “I never expected life would take such a turn. Most of all, I am happy that my son is proud of me.”