An enthusiastic actor full of warmth

“His childlike enthusiasm to act was something none of us will ever forget,” says actor Radikaa Sarathkumar, recalling the time she first met veteran singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam on the sets of the film Keladi Kanmani.

The singer didn’t just touch several hearts by singing across languages but also made a mark through his acting, bringing depth and nuance to the varied characters he portrayed in several Tamil films.

The song Mannil Indha, picturised on Radikaa and SPB, went on to become a huge hit, and is still remembered, nearly three decades after the film was released.

As an actor, Ms. Radikaa said SPB had infectious enthusiasm, but he was also conscious of and eager to understand the nuances of the character he was playing.

“I was very fascinated by the fact that he had sung the song without taking a breath in between, and on the sets, I would keep asking him to sing and…