KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — Some 1,200 fans flocked to Zepp Kuala Lumpur on Saturday for Indian singer Chinmayi Sripada’s first-ever solo concert in Malaysia, Muththa Mazhai.

The concert, organised by Pop Entertainment, left the audience longing for more as Chinmayi belted out close to 30 songs — including medleys in Tamil and Hindi — over three hours.

The fanfare kicked off on a nostalgic note with Chinmayi rendering her evergreen debut song Oru Deivam Thantha Poove, accompanied by some of India’s finest musicians.

She was only 15 when she originally sang the song for the film Kannathil Muthamittal (2002) under music maestro A.R. Rahman’s direction.

Since then, Chinmayi has sung more than 250 songs in Tamil films alone, in addition to lending her voice to Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi and Hindi tracks.

Some fan-favourites that had the crowd singing along included Ennodu Nee Irundhaal, Chinnamma Chilakkamma, Tere Bina, Titli and Kaathalae Kaathalae.

For duet numbers, Chinmayi was backed by two budding singers from the Indian reality show Super Singer — Sreekanth Hariharan and Ajay Krishna.

The trio also performed a mash-up of the Tamil hit Kilimajaro from Sivaji The Boss (2007) with the English breakbeat Apache.

Ajay especially left the audience in stitches when he imitated prominent Indian singer Udit Narayan — a unique talent that shot him to fame — while performing Sahana from Sivaji The Boss with Chinmayi, and later during his solo number Soniya Soniya.

For duet songs, Chinmayi was backed by two budding singers from the Indian reality singing show Super Singer — Ajay Krishna (left) and Sreekanth Hariharan (right). — Picture courtesy of Pop Entertainment

The concert also showcased Chinmayi’s lesser-known side and her versatility as both a singer and a dubbing artist.

Contrary to her serious-toned interviews, she displayed a witty and playful persona on stage, engaging with fans throughout the second half of the show.

She also took audience requests, seamlessly switching between Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Hindi.

Chinmayi, an acclaimed dubbing artist, has lent her voice to leading actresses including Trisha Krishnan (Leo, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa), Sameera Reddy (Vaaranam Aayiram) and Bhumika Chawla (Sillunu Oru Kaadhal).

On Saturday, she offered fans a rare treat by dubbing live on stage for scenes from some of these films, explaining that she usually avoids dubbing and singing on the same day.

Some 1,200 fans cheered on as Chinmayi belted out nearly 30 songs for three hours straight at Zepp Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. — Picture courtesy of Pop Entertainment

Towards the end, Chinmayi was moved to tears after rendering Muththa Mazhai from Thug Life, as she thanked Rahman for giving her a comeback into the Tamil music industry.

She first performed the track — originally sung by Dheekshitha Venkadeshan, or Dhee, for the film — during its audio launch in May.

That marked Chinmayi’s return to the Tamil music scene after a seven-year hiatus, following her role in naming influential figures in the Tamil film industry during the #MeToo movement.

“I never thought this day would come in my life.

“I am truly grateful to Rahman sir for making this happen. Only God is writing my script,” she said, drawing loud cheers from the audience.

The night closed on a high with Mayya Mayya from Guru (2007), another Rahman composition, which had the crowd grooving to one of Indian cinema’s most seductive dance numbers.

For Pop Entertainment founder Parveen Banu Syed Ahamed, the Muththa Mazhai concert marked her company’s first foray into the Indian live performance scene.

“What makes it even more meaningful is that it’s also Chinmayi’s first solo concert here in Malaysia, and bringing her live through Pop Entertainment’s debut is both an honour and a milestone in my journey as a founder,” she said.