Chitra Iyer


Chitra Iyer is an Indian playback singer who has worked in Indian films across five different industries primarily in Malayalam.
A resident of Bangalore, Chitra worked extensively with A. R. Rahman during the early 2000s on his Tamil films, while also having an alternate career as a television host and actress on Malayalam television.

Career

Early in her career, Chitra Iyer attempted to reach out to composer A. R. Rahman to work with him, but found it difficult as she was based out of Bangalore. In 2000, Rahman initiated contact with Chitra and invited her to come to Chennai with a demo cassette of her work, with Chitra recording a series of Tamil and Malayalam songs. On the day of her visit to Chennai, Rahman immediately heard the songs and hired her to record for the song "Athini Sithini" for the film Thenali during the same evening. She subsequently continued to work for other composers in Tamil cinema including Karthik Raja, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Bharadwaj and Vidyasagar under her post-marriage name of Chitra Sivaraman. Furthermore, apart from in her mother tongue of Tamil, Chitra continued to sing playback for Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi films.
In the Malayalam entertainment industry, she had an alternate career as an anchor of a Malayalam singing show, Jeeva's Sapta Swarangal and hosted it under her maiden name, Chitra Iyer. Having done her education in Kerala, she had a good foundation in the Malayalam language, with her work on the show leading to further opportunities to sing for films.

Personal life

Chitra Iyer is married to former Air Force pilot Vinod Sivaraman since 12 July 1989. The pair met at the insistence of their parents at Chennai Gymkhana Club in early 1989, and have since had two daughters Aditi Anjali, the latter known for her performance in the 2023 Netflix series Class.
In recent years, alongside her television commitments, Chitra has worked as the founder and trustee of the Society for Elephant Welfare in Kerala. She has also promoted farming with the state, supporting a project launched by her mother Rohini Iyer. Likewise, she launched a software company, Darkhorse Productions, in 2013 alongside her daughters Aditi and Anjali Sivaraman.

Notable discography

;Tamil
YearSong titleFilmMusic directorNotes
2000"Athini Sithini"ThenaliA. R. Rahman
2001"Athan Varuvaga"Dumm Dumm DummKarthik Raja
2001"Adi Nenthikkitten"StarA. R. Rahman
2001"Thozha Thozha"Pandavar BhoomiBharadwaj
2001"Colour Colour"Manadhai ThirudivittaiYuvan Shankar Raja
2001"Panjaangam Paarakadhe"ThavasiVidyasagar
2002"Neruppu Koothadikudhu"Thulluvadho IlamaiYuvan Shankar Raja
2002"Dhuan Dhuan Sa"16 DecemberKarthik Raja
2003"Vasiyakaara"Pudhiya GeethaiYuvan Shankar Raja
2003"Ale Ale"BoysA. R. Rahman
2003"Asathura"Enakku 20 Unakku 18A. R. Rahman
2004"Anarkali"Kangalal Kaidhu SeiA. R. Rahman
2004"Bommalattam"BoseYuvan Shankar Raja

;Malayalam
YearSong titleFilmMusic director
1996KunjikattinNaalamkettile Nalla ThampimarSP Venkatesh
1998Aadharam MadhuramGramapanchayathBerny Ignatius
1998Thankamani TharamayKudumba VarthakkalBerny Ignatius
2001Kalakalam PadumKorappam the GreatBalabhaskar
2002Raavinte DevahridayamMazhathullikilukkamSuresh Peters
2002Kaatoram KadaloramSisiramBerny Ignatius
2002Pakkala-Berny Ignatius
2003IshtamalladaSwapnakooduMohan Sithara
2003Chundatu chettipooChronic BachelorDeepak Dev
2003Nalkani AayaloOttakambi NadamRamesh Narayan
2003Oru SwapnamOttakambi NadamRamesh Narayan
2004Valentine ValentineYouth FestivalM. Jayachandran
2004MaatupettiMayilattamM. Jayachandran
2004Paalathil ThallithaliUdayamMohan Sithara
2004RithameUdayamMohan Sithara
2005Oru SwapnamDecemberJassie Gift
2005KadamthadiDecemberJassie Gift
2006KusumavadanaMadhuchandralekhaM. Jayachandran
2006KaadukuliranaBada DosthM. Jayachandran
2007Sneham KondoruSooryakireedamBennet
2007Sneham Kondoru SooryakireedamBennet
2011MaanmizhiMetroShaan Rahman
2011Maanmizhi MetroShaan Rahman
2013Hey EthuvazhiArikil OraalGopi Sundar

Television

  • Sapthaswarangal as Host
  • Idea Star singer 2006 as Judge
  • Voice of Kerala as Judge
  • Sangeetha Mahayudham as Team Captain
  • Malayalee House as Contestant
  • Super Star Global as Judge
  • Flowers Oru Kodi as Contestant
; Other TV Shows as guest
  • JB Junction
  • Onnum Onnum Moonu
  • Symphony
  • Ente Daivam
  • Tharapakittu
  • Annonyam
  • Tarang
  • Thara Dambathimarude Samsthana Sammelanam
She has also performed in a few Mauritius Television shows as Performer
;TV serials - Malayalam
YearTitleChannelRoleNotes
2002VenalmazhaSurya TVSinger - Thalirayi song
2013KumkumapoovuAsianetArundathi Jithan's friendSuper hit
2015-2016Eeran NilavuFlowers Vidyabharathi
2018–2019GauriSurya TVYamini

Filmography