Actress Vidya Balan paid a photographic homage to Bharat Ratna M.S.Subbulakshmi on the occasion of her 108th birth anniversary. For the tribute, Balan collaborated with costume designer Anu Parthasarathy to recreate some of the iconic looks of the legendary musician. Vidya shared the pictures on her Instagram handle alongside a heartwarming note.
Vidya, in her note, expressed her honour and joy in paying tribute to M. S. Subbulakshmi, who was celebrated as the 'Queen of Music' by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and the 'Nightingale of India' by Sarojini Naidu.
She called the late musician the 'original style icon' who "carried off with great aplomb, an appearance that was a study in simplicity, adding to the allure of her mellifluous voice".
Vidya also wrote that the photographic tribute "showcases four sarees that M.S.Amma wore and was popularised between the '60s & the '80s''. It is a portrayal of M.S.Amma's concert persona.
In the pics that Vidya shared, she can be seen adorning a blue sari with small checks, an orange and purple six yards, a green creation with a yellow border, and the signature MS blue with wide red borders.
Elaborating more on M.S. Subbulakshmi style, Vidya shared that while the rich, vibrant sarees were a significant part of M.S. Amma’s appearance, the other half was the ''simple accessory ensemble, including traditional kumkumam and vibhuti on her forehead, distinctive nose pins, and a jasmine-adorned bun''.
M. S. Subbulakshmi was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.
She was also the only singer after whom a colour is named- which is MS Blue. We saw the Carnatic vocalist's love for performing in blue Kanchipuram silk sarees and it became synonymous with her performances.
Born in Madurai, M.S Amma was also the first Indian to perform at the United Nations General Assembly in 1966. She had a brief acting career in Tamil films.
For the unversed, Vidya Balan was supposed to play the Bharat Ratna awardee in a biopic, which was confirmed by admaker-cinematographer-filmmaker Rajiv Menon who directed films like Minsara Kanavu with Kajol and Prabhudheva, and Kandukondain Kandukondain with Tabu and Aishwarya Rai. Though the movie was officially not announced, Vidya, earlier in an interview revealed that the biopic was supposed to happen, but the makers got into some legal issues due to which it got shelved.
Vidya has been a great admirer of M.S. Subbulakshmi since her childhood. She loves the beautiful sarees and jewellery worn by the legendary vocalist. It was her ''art and desire'' to play M.S. Amma on screen and was ''heartbroken'' when it didn't happen. Upset Vidya told this to Anu when she met her in Chennai and returned to Mumbai with a heavy heart. A few days later, she got a call from the latter, expressing her desire for a photographic tribute to M.S. Amma. It got stuck due to the pandemic. In the meantime, Anu got in touch with M.S. Amma's family who permitted them to do the photoshoot and supported with all the valuable inputs, and information that they needed. The Kahaani actress also revealed that Anu got the sarees woven, and jewellery made- for the tribute to the late Carnatic singer. Apart from the sarees and jewellery, Parthasarathy accurately recreated the singer’s signature kumkumam, vibhuti, and jasmine-adorned bun and brought the legend to life with her muse Vidya Balan.
Balan is a huge fan of M.S.Subbulakshmi's music and as a child, she always woke up listening to her compositions. She recalls listening to M.S Amma's songs while shooting for The Dirty Picture. The National Award-winning actress feels honoured and grateful that her "long cherished" dream has come true by paying a tribute to the late singer's style and legacy.
