Minmini Female Playback singer of India

Minmini is a South Indian film playback singer. She is remembered especially for the song "Chinna Chinna Aasai" from Roja, the debut work of film composer A. R. Rahman. Though she is a Malayali, most of her memorable songs are in Tamil, most of them composed by Rahman and Ilaiyaraaja. Her hit Malayalam songs include "Souparnikamritha" from Kizhakkunarum Pakshi, "Oonjal Urangi", and "Neelaraavi" from Kudumbasametham. She has lent her voice to hit songs from films including Karuththamma (1994), and Thevar Magan (1992).

Minmini
Birth name	P. J. Rosily
Born	1970
Origin	Keezhmedu, Aluva, Kerala, India
Genres	Playback singing
Occupations	Singer
Years active	1988-1995

Early life

Minmini was born in Keezhmedu, near Aluva, Kochi, Kerala, India on 12 August 1970, as the fourth daughter of P. A. Joseph and Treeza. Minmini was known as P. J. Rosily in school. She was also fondly called Mini. Her father, P. A. Joseph, was crazy about art and artistes. Starting her career at the age of 5 with the Kalabhavan orchestra, she became a professional singer at 10. Treeza was a singer, though not a professional. Mini's elder sisters sang in the choir in their village church. Emulating them, Mini also began to sing. Her father taught her to sing in rhythm and pitch. The sisters participated in competitions while they were studying in St Francis Girl's High School, Aluva. One of the sisters, Jancy, sang in Kalabhavan's ganamela troupe.

She won numerous prizes in singing competitions right from her childhood, including the first prize in light music in the 1986 state youth festival and the 1987 university youth festival. She had become a regular singer at Cochin Arts and Communication (CAC) by then. After pre-degree, Mini decided to study music. She was admitted to RLV Music Academy in Thrippunithura. However, she could not concentrate on studies as she had many stage programmes and recordings.

Career

Mini had her film debut with Swagatham (1988), directed by Venu Nagavalli. She sang three songs in it, composed by Rajamani. She was introduced to Tamil film industry by Ilayaraja through Meera (1991). Ilayaraja christened her Minmini, making her name more appealing to the Tamilians.

Her big break came in 1992 when she sang "Chinna Chinna Aasai" for the film Roja. It took Minmini to international fame, along with A.R. Rahman. The song which set a new trend in the music world was remade in Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi and Minmini sang them too.

Minmini has sung around 2,000 film songs in seven different languages: Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Oriya and Baduga. In Malayalam she became the favourite of music directors like Johnson, Raveendran, S. P. Venkatesh, Bombay Ravi and Mohan Sithara. Many of her songs turned into hits, including "Souparnikamritha" (Kizhakkunarum Pakshi), "Oonjal Urangi", "Neelaraavil" (Kudumbasametham), "Kakka Poocha" (Pappayude Swantham Apoos), "Paathiraavayi" (Vietnam Colony), "Swayam Varamai" (Paithrukam), "Vellithinkal" (Meleparambil Aanveedu), "Aarunee Jinmakale Peru Cholamo" (Ghazal), and many others.

Awards

She has received many awards, including the Singapore State Government Award, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback, Filmfare Award, Cinema Express Award, Film Fans Association Award (Telugu), Kerala Film Chamber Award and SUMU Award, to name a few.

Personal

Minmini has been married to Joy Mathew since 1995. Joy is a keyboardist who worked in Unni Menon's troupe and later in a Dubai radio station. Like Mini, Joy also got inspiration from the choir in the church in his native place, Koratty. Minmini now is the mother of two – Allan Joy Mathew and Anna Keerthana. Minmini lost her voice in 1992 on a stage show in London. She was unable to even speak for six months. She regained her voice in 1995 after undergoing vocal cord treatment. With her husband's encouragement, she is now making a comeback to the music industry and has also opened a music school in Cochin. Minmini also anchors for TV channels.