Singer Jayaram Ranjith

by Shalet Jimmy

published in The New Indian Express

July 2013

Photo Courtesy : Mithun Vinod

From Jingles to Playback singing

About 10 years ago, when Jayaram Ranjith sang ‘Manasinte mayathalangalil engo’ for a light music competition and topped in it, he never imagined in his wildest dreams that it would become a turning point in his career. Within no time, he was ushered into the world of music industry.

Though an ardent fan of Bijibal, little did he know that it was the national award winner’s composition that earned him the award for the contest. Impressed with his rendition, Bijibal rang him up to congratulate him. Since then, there was no turning back for the budding singer.

“That’s how I happened to commence my singing career under my mentor,” he says. As his namesake was already a known name in the music industry Bijibal took the liberty to tweak his name into Jayaram Ranjith. Earlier, Jayaram was known for his jingles. “I have sung for Bhima Jewellery with Rahul Raj’s music.

After singing a solo, ‘Ethanee kattu,’, in the film ‘Thank You’, the singer was in seventh heaven. “With so many singers competing in this field, solos give a budding singer an opportunity to expose his voice. Though I have sung many duets, I was happy with the rendition of the solo,” he says.

Jayaram Ranjith has sung in films such as ‘Da Thadiya’ and ‘Sevens’. His song for the character Thadiyan did not offer him enough space for relishing it. “It happened all of a sudden. One fine morning, I was asked to sing the song and I did not get enough time to do the necessary preparatory work. But Thank You’ was an altogether different experience and brought with it satisfaction,” he says with a smile.

The singer has sung for Telugu and Kannada films too. Jayaram reminisces of music composer Jassie Gift who had the confidence to give him a melody. “That was a great recognition. He offered me a song as he heard me singing in a studio. He offered me a melody and that was a great experience,” he says.

Before success started knocking at his door, he had sung for many a less known film such as ‘Perumal’ and ‘Black Stallion’. He has also sung ‘Manasa maine’ for Shyamaprasad’s ‘Off Season’ in ‘Kerala Cafe’. ‘Ginger’, ‘Crispy Chicken’ and ‘Charso Bees’ are some of my other works.”

Ranjith believes that ‘acquaintanceship’ and ‘camaraderie’ are a must when things have to work out in the industry. “One tends to recommend someone whom they really know rather than pointing out to a total stranger. However, talent matters the most,” he says.

Jayaram Ranjith is script writer Rajesh Jayaram’s younger brother but he says that he never used his brother’s name as a ticket to the industry. “I believe in my own merit. By God’s grace I have never run out of songs since I began my career,” he says.

A native of Ernakulam, Jayaram Ranjith lives with his father Jayaram and mother Ratnavalli.