Kodumudi Balambal (1908 –1980) who was well known as K.P.Sundarambal, was a popular actress cum singer who hailed from Erode district, Tamil Nadu. She performed wonderfully in ancient Tamil cinema and she was referred to as the “Divine Lady with a golden voice.” She was also referred to as a political activist during the Indian independence movement. She was well known for her marvellous songs on Lord Muruga, and especially, her song “PALAM NEE APPA GNANA PALAM NEE APPA”, “OH LORD MURUGA, YOU ARE THE ENLIGTENED FRUIT, YOU ARE THE MOST REVERED ONE”, from the Tamil feature Film, Thiruvilaiyadal was still being remembered by us due to her magnificent magic voice, which was still liked by the music lovers!
K.B. Sundarambal was born in the year 1908 in the town of Kodumudi on the banks of Kaveri river, in Erode district in Tamil Nadu. Even as a young child, she used to earn money by singing on trains and by that way, she has earned something for her livelihood, and it shows her duty consciousness even at the time of her younger age itself!
Sundarambal is believed to have been started her career in 1927, on the Tamil stage, and as a member of a travelling theatre troupe, first she performed small roles on the stage and entertained the audiences through her gifted golden voice. Soon, she started playing leading roles on stage.
Sundarambal married S. G. Kittappa in the year 1927. After her husband’s death, she strongly developed her career in Tamil cinema in order to forget her sorrows. K.B. Sundarambal died in September 1980.
Sundarambal has got many awards and rewards, and she was believed to have been received a huge sum of remuneration which was about Rs.1 Lakhs, which was considered to be a very huge amount during those days!
Ancient Bhakti films acted by stalwarts like K.P.Sundarambal, throw us a light about the important incidents happened in the life of the divine deities and saints, and it would inculcate us to get more bhakti on the almighty. But, nowadays most of the film producers are not interested to produce bhakti films, due to their fear in getting poor box office collections!
But in general, if the producers produce the bhakti films by observing proper fasting and with full of devotion in their mind, definitely their films would succeed well, and their expectations would never go wrong.
“OM SRI SUNDARABALAMURAGA NAMO NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R. HARISHANKAR