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Runa Sikdar is Director Antardhwani and Chief Designer and Director, White Space – innovating design. Based out of both Europe and India, she provides design consultation and execution in both parts of the world. We are publishing her spontaneous, tender and soulful thoughts on the passing away of legendary SP Balasubrahmanyam, the front-ranking musician, playback singer, music director, actor, dubbing artist and film producer.

A Love Letter to S.P.B. Sir

We have already lived one day into this world without you, S.P.B. Sir. One day now that the horizon already has a new star up there, shining bright while we doom in the darkness of the irreparable loss of it. One dark day arrived and got over; now, we are left with innumerable memories of fifty four years of your life into music. After Rafi Saab, if it is another artist who can be judged with the question, “better human being, or better singer?”, it has to be only you, S.P.B. Sir!

Growing up in Bengal, little I had the idea about your name during my teens, until the blockbuster hit “Maine Pyar Kiya” happened. The charming hero of the movie, lip synced to some of the super hits by the legend. The profound baritone of your voice playfully nuanced out the mischievous romance that became an instant hit among us – the teenagers. You entered Bollywood with a foray. My bond with your music is mostly through your Hindi songs. Today, when you are addressed in the past tense, I realise how much you played an eminent role in adding to our initial senses of getting infatuated with “falling in love”.

I remember when Madhuri was confronted by the big eyes of Salman with the innocent quest “Hum aapke hain koun” How about Sanjay Dutt donning shoulder length hair as a young shayer fantasizing the soft romance for his heroine with a “Bohot pyar kartein hain tumko aanam”. Who can forget your song “Dekha hai pehli baar, sajan ke aankhon mein pyar” garnished with the iconic prelude. And, “Sathiyaa, yeh tune kya kiya?”, the mention of which can instantly make me reminisce my first infatuation during those teen times. “Pehla pehla pyar hai, pehli pehli baar hai”, can evoke a sense of yearning to go back and fall in love again with everything that was so imperfect then. The playful “Tumse milne ki tamanna hai”, has the power to make my mind shrink into the youthful size and grow back once again to emote the fun of “ice-cream dating”. I adored your “Dil Deewana” making me imagine a macho hero who will take on anything ( like brick breaking job) to gain me! “Aate jaate, haste gaate”, the enchanting number where I rewind and replayed to hear your lines “Yehi saach hai, shayed yehi, maine pyar kiya, haan haan tumse…maine pyar kiya”. You are the architect of the fancied mind of my teen-time Sir. That time of my life, when all it took was a song, a yellow-shirt-hero and ice-cream to understand love.

Everytime I fell for another hero and got infatuated, I credited it always to their magnetic looks. Much later I realised who has to be blamed actually. Your voice, indeed! You knew the era you have to create magic for. The candy-floss love found its new shelter in the timber of you voice, Sir! It worked! It did!

Last 24-hours has been a strong blow upon my senses. It suddenly broke a news that flashed many memories I could have touched back again, with you still around. Why do we always realise the presence only in their absence – the important question I throw to myself.

As the dawn breaks in another country I woke up to, I realise, by now you must have been sailing off in the streams of the holy rivers of India. You are much above the worldly things now. I just want you to know that, you did much to me Sir. Your enchanting voice and that pure smile remains, dazzling in the memories of my growing up years of innocent days. Among many impeccable names, it was ” S P something” a singer who won my heart, as I could not remember your name properly then, to the day today when I can never imagine to forget you ever; it has been a personal journey for me. Thank You for everything S.P.B. Sir