MUMBAI: Veteran Malayalam playback singer KP Udayabhanu passed away on 5 January 2014 at the age of 77 after quite a period of ill-health.

Known for his ability to bring emotional depth to the songs he rendered, the singer was associated with All India Radio for decades where he enriched the ‘light music’ branch by singing and giving music to numerous songs.

Although making films his main focus was never on the cards, Udayabhanu has to his credit several all time hits from the Malayalam cinema for songs he lent his voice to. His debut in the Malayalam film industry was Nayaru Pidicha Putivalu, in which he sang a popular number written by P Bhaskaran and composed by K Raghavan.

Shortly after, he was roped in by M S Baburaj, G Devarajan and other top-notch composers, not to mention Raghavan. Condoling Udayabhanu's death, Malayalam film historian Balagopal said his voice was especially suited for sad songs in melodramatic films like Laila Majnu of 1960s and 1970s.