Published 07:37 IST, September 27th 2020
SP Balasubrahmanyam funeral: Fans flock outside singer's Chennai farmhouse to pay homage
Fans thronged SPB's residence & thousands came to catch the last glimpse of their favourite singer at red hills farmhouse where his mortal remains were kept
It’s not every time, you listen to a sad song, and yet a smile crosses your lips during the Charanam, and that happens only when it’s the voice of Padma Bhushan S.P Balasubrahmanyam. The 74 year’s playback legend breathed his last on Friday at MGM medical hospital amidst his family.
As fans thronged his residence and over thousands came to catch a last glimpse of their favourite singer at the red hills farmhouse where his mortal remains were kept on Saturday morning, one thing that all of them had to say was that SBP Sir was not just a man with a golden voice, but a man with an even bigger heart.
The queue to his farmhouse at Pallikaranai, which is 40 km off Chennai city started from at least one km away from where fans, walked from a designated drop off point to the guest house. Masks and sanitizers were mandatory and over 500 odd police personnel were deployed to manage the crowd and keep them in check.
Some stood afar, to avoid the crowds maybe, some because the loss was unbearable, they couldn't go near, but yet, from afar, paid their respects. But all of the people who had reached there, irrespective of whether they were police, civilians or the media, all of them were teary-eyed.
'I am still in shock that I had to come here'
"How does one process that is is an end of an era? Nights of gloom or happiness and the one voice that was always constant for us was SPB Sir. I don't think there would have been anyone who didn't have an SPB playlist. I am still in shock that I had to come here and see for myself," says Ravi Kiran, an ardent fan of Baalu Sir.
From young to old, actors, politicians to the common man, there have been many lives that SP Balasubrahmanyam has touched over the decades. Many celebrities paid their tribute to the singer taking to social media, reminiscing his songs.
Singer-actor SP Balasubrahmanyam succumbed to Coronavirus on Friday. The 74-year-old actor was admitted to MGM Healthcare in Chennai in the first week of August after testing positive for Coronavirus. Admitted due to covid, in early August, the singer is said to have tested negative for Covid in early September.
'SPB will live on in his songs'
SPB’s son SP Charan who has been giving updates on the singer's condition since his admission at the MGM hospital early in August, told reporters at MGM Healthcare, “SPB belongs to everyone. He will live on in his songs. My dad passed away at 1.04 pm.”
A statement from the hospital read, “Thiru S P Balasubrahmanyam had been admitted at MGM Healthcare on August 5th and commenced on life support measures since August 14th for severe COVID-19 pneumonia. He continued to be closely monitored by our multidisciplinary team in the critical care unit. He tested negative for COVID-19 on September 4th. In a further setback this morning, despite maximal life support measures and the best efforts of the clinical team, his condition deteriorated further and he suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest. With profound grief, we regret to inform you that he has passed away on September 25th at 13:04 Hours. We express our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, well-wishers and admirers at their loss during this time of anguish and sorrow.”
Hundreds of fans attend legendary singer SPB's last rites at his Chennai farmhouse
Updated 07:37 IST, September 27th 2020