Pop singer from the ‘70s, A E Manohar, popularly known as ‘Ceylon Manohar’, passed away on January 22 at his residence in Chennai. The actor-singer was reportedly suffering from kidney ailments. He was 73.

Well-known for his ‘70s song Surangani, which propelled him to fame, Manohar has also acted in several Tamil and Sri Lankan films. His first Sri Lankan film as lead was Vadakkattru which came out in 1978.

The film also won the President’s Award as the Best Tamil Film of the Year in Sri Lanka.

Manohar has also performed in concerts all over the world, in countries like Canada, Malaysia, U.K. etc. Surangani, a popular Sri Lankan Baila song, has been rendered in several languages since it was first composed by Manohar.

In 1977, Illayaraja made the Tamil version of this song for a film called Avar Ennake Sondham, sung by Malaysia Vasudevan and Renuka. The song was also taken to Bollywood with Asha Bhosle crooning Surangani kamaal karegi in the 1978 film Parmatma.

Manohar has also acted in several Tamil and Hindi film alongside big actors like Sivaji Ganeshan, Rajinikanth and Dharmendra. In his later years he also did a few Tamil soaps like Athipookal and Thirumadhi Selvam.

Many on social media, who still fondly remember the Surangani song which used to blare out of loudspeakers in their growing up years in Tamil Nadu, have mourned the singer’s death.

-TNM