Uthara Unnikrishnan
{{short description|Indian playback singer (born 2004)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Uthara Unnikrishnan
| image =
| caption = At Theri Audio Launch
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2004|6|11}}
| years_active = 2012–present
}}
Uthara Unnikrishnan (born 2004) is an Indian playback singer. In 2015, she won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer at the 62nd National Film Awards for her rendition of the song "Azhagu" from the 2014 Tamil film Saivam, a family drama directed by A. L. Vijay. She received the award at the age of 10, becoming its youngest recipient.{{cite news|title=Like Father, Like Daughter|url=http://www.tehelka.com/like-father-like-daughter/|access-date=20 April 2015|publisher=Tehleka.com|date=11 April 2015}}[http://www.ibnlive.com/news/62nd-national-film-awards-complete-list-of-winners/535920-8-66.html "62nd National Film Awards: Complete list of winners"]. IBN Live. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
Biography
Uthara Unnikrishnan is the daughter of Carnatic classical singer P. Unni Krishnan and Bharatanatyam dancer Priya Unnikrishnan. Her father, a recipient of multiple National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer, received his first award in 1995 for his debut performance of the Tamil songs "Ennavale Adi Ennavale" and "Uyirum Neeye".
Uthara began learning Carnatic music at the age of six from Sudha Raja. She studied in Lady Andal school and APL Global school and now currently studying BSc Psychology in MOP Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai. Apart from Tamil music, she enjoys Western (classical, rock and pop) and wants to master all these genres.{{cite news|title=10-year-old Uthara to receive National Award 20 years after father singer P Unnikrishnan got|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/repeat-telecast-4/|access-date=30 March 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=30 March 2015|ref=ie1}}
Songs
"Azhagu" (Beauty) was composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar, based on raga Kanada. The song describes a child's perception of the beauty around her. The song was penned by Na. Muthukumar, who also received the National Film Award for Best Lyrics.{{cite news|title=62nd National Film Awards: Tamil movies bag eight honours|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/62nd-National-Film-Awards-Tamil-movies-bag-eight-honours/articleshow/46678516.cms|access-date=30 March 2015|agency=Times of India|date=24 March 2015}} When Uthara Unnikrishnan accompanied her mother to Carnatic singer Saindhavi's house during Golu festival, she sang a few lines. A couple of months later, Saindhavi's husband G. V. Prakash Kumar called upon Uthara to croon a solo melody for Saivam.{{cite news|title=The family note|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/uthara-unnikrishnan-the-family-note/article5912460.ece|access-date=30 March 2015|work=The Hindu|date=24 March 2015}}
Uthara recorded the song for child actor Sara Arjun when she was eight years old in 2013.{{cite news|title=Eight-year old Uthara croons for 'Saivam'|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/eight-year-old-uthara-croons-for-saivam-news-national-nltl4hehjgf.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311171705/http://www.sify.com/movies/eight-year-old-uthara-croons-for-saivam-news-national-nltl4hehjgf.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 March 2014|access-date=30 March 2015|agency=sify.com|date=19 November 2013}} Apart from "Azhagu", she has sung two more Tamil songs.{{cite web|title=Uthara Unnikrishnan: Like father, like daughter|url=http://www.gulte.com/movienews/37205/Uthara-Unnikrishnan-Like-father-like-daughter|access-date=30 March 2015}}
Praised by most in regards towards her 2015 win of the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for her rendition of the song "Azhage". Uthara later worked on Theri with G. V. Prakash Kumar in the song "Eena Meena Teeka".{{cite web | url=http://www.sify.com/movies/gv50-theri-audio-review-news-tamil-qduvX2ffafhgi.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321103522/http://www.sify.com/movies/gv50-theri-audio-review-news-tamil-qduvX2ffafhgi.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=21 March 2016 | title=GV50- 'Theri' audio review | website=Sify | access-date=10 May 2016}}
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||
| style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Language ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Song ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Saivam | Tamil | "Azhagu" | National award-winning |
| 2014 | Pisasu | Tamil | "Pogum Padhai" | |
| rowspan="2"|2015
| Telugu | "Evaru Nearparu" | ||||
| Strawberry | Tamil
|"Kaiveesum" | | |||
| 2016 | Theri | Tamil | "Eena Meena Teeka" | |
| 2018
|Tamil |"Morrakka Mattraakka" |Also dubbed for Ditya Bhande {{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HYXrxg1PKA&list=TLPQMTAwMzIwMjV_6rjzFIJwxA&index=8 |title=காக்கா பிரியாணி சாப்பிட்டா உன்னிகிருஷ்ணன் voice வருமா?? Sivaangi {{!}} Unnikrishnan{{!}} Uthara {{!}} Epi-02 |date=2020-03-06 |last=Media Masons |access-date=2025-03-10 |via=YouTube}} | ||||
| 2025 | Once More
| Tamil |"Vaa Kannamma" |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{National Film Award Best Female Playback Singer}}
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Category:Tamil playback singers
Category:Indian women playback singers
Category:21st-century Indian singers
Category:21st-century Indian women singers
Category:Women musicians from Tamil Nadu
Category:Best Female Playback Singer National Film Award winners