About Singer Karthik

Some of his hit songs in Telugu:

• Arey Rey Arey Rey (Happy Days)
• Oh My Friend (Happy Days)
• Yeduta Nilichindi Choodu ( Vaana)
• Anaganagaa Kadhalaa (Venky)
• Aaley Aaley (Boys)
• Happy Preyasi Lekunte (Happy)

Favorites:

Holiday Destination: Tirupathi
Singers: Hariharan, SPB
Place: Los Angeles
Cricketer: Sachin
Dish: Sambar Sadham
Songs: oliyilae, ulaga azhaiyae, paalpole
Actors: Kamal and Rajni
Friend: Raghav

• Karthik was born on November 7 1980.
• He debuted in 1999.

Family:

Both of his parents are working.

He has an young brother who is into Engineering.

He married Ambica(Jazz dancer) on July 12th 2006 (Engaged on April 3rd 2006). It was an arranged marriage

Pet: Chester

Residence: Annanagar, Near Chintamani, Chennai.

Interviewer: If god gives a boon what would you do

Karthik: Management Degree from IIM

Background:

Few years back Karthik was a regular college goer . He had good interest in music and was learning Carnatic music right from his school days. He was singing for his college band. They used to participate regularly in IIT Madras Fest ‘Sarang’. He never dreamt that he would become a professional singer. He is an ardent fan of AR Rahman. It was one of his life ambitions to see ARR atleast once. He used to call studios but the studio manager or someone used to pick and keep the phone. Singer Srinivas(’Priya Priya Champoddey’ song in Jeans) is a good friend of Karthik’s cousin. Srinivas introduced Karthik to ARR. He could not believe this and was on Cloud 9.

At that time ARR asked him whether he can sing. He said yes and ARR asked him to sing something for him. He was surprised and sang a song. ARR was impressed and advised him to look into singing as a career. Karthik could not believe this as meeting ARR was itself a memorable moment for him and ARR giving such a compliment was totally unbelievable. He left everything and again started practising regularly. However, he could not get a singing chance immediately.

Atlast the debute day came in an interesting way. It was one of his friend’s birthday. They went to a snooker parlour. They planned a surprise birthday gift for their friend and wanted to spend till midnight there. Only one of them was having a cell phone. Rahman was looking for some fresh voices for chorus. Singer Srinivas was trying to reach Harish Raghavendra, Tippu, Gopal Rao..etc He could not get one of them right away and so was trying to reach Karthik through his residence number. Karthik’s Mom was trying to call to his friend’s cell phone but the signal was poor in the snooker parlour. Srinivas was continuously calling Karthik’s Mom for about 8 times and his Mom literally started crying as she knows the importance of that chance and how much interested Karthik was in singing.

It was around 12 that they came upstairs. Atlast he attened his Mom’s call and on knowing this rushed to the studio on his bike. It was for the Pukar movie and he had to sing chorus with Tippu, Harish. It was his debute which was finished in 30 Mins at around 1 AM. He could not believe what had happened. Even none of his friends took it seriously when he told them that he sang for Rahman. Unfortunately that song in Pukar didn’t come out. He started singing chorus with Tippu, Harish for about an year.

Rahman always used to get confused in indentifying Tippu and Karthik. He always mistook Karthik to Tippu. One day during a chorus session, Rahman observed all the singers and said ‘You the guy without spectacles stay back and others can leave’. It was Karthik. He took it very seriously and was knowing that Rahman would ask him to sing and its a lovely chance to prove his mettle. He decided to take it as a do or die situation. Rahman asked him to sing an aalaap. He was singing and Rahman was giving some suggestions by playing the chords. Rahman was expecting more grief in the aalaap and thus Karthik forgot about himself and got very much immersed into it by singing continuously, closing his eyes. After some time, he opened his eyes and saw that everyone was laughing.

Rahman was standing next to him and said ‘Good job. You did well’.

Next day Rahman asked him to come for a track with which he was trying something new and if it works he will use it. It was for the movie ‘Jodi’. He was nervous but Rahman was jovial with him and made him feel comfortable. After the recording Rahman said its good. This is how he got his first break with Rahman.

None would be knowing how a song comes out under Rahman. Because it undergoes lots of transformations. ‘Girl Friend’ song in Boys was the one everyone believed beforehand that its gonna rock. When Karthik started singing this, Rahman interrupted and asked him to sing like a saxaphone. It was interesting to sing like an instrument.

That brought lot of variety to the song. And the rest is history.