P. B. Sreenivas (also spelt P. B. Srinivas) was an Indian playback singer who sang in several South Indian languages, most prominently in Kannada and Tamil cinema. Active from the 1950s through the late twentieth century, he is best remembered as the long-standing playback voice for Kannada matinee idol Dr. Rajkumar during a formative period of Kannada cinema, and for a string of melodious Tamil film songs picturised on actors such as Gemini Ganesan and Sivaji Ganesan.
| Full name | Prativadi Bhayankara Sreenivas |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 September 1930, Kakinada, Madras Presidency (present-day Andhra Pradesh) |
| Died | 14 April 2013, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Profession | Playback singer, lyricist, composer, poet |
| Languages sung in | Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tulu |
| Active years | 1950s – 2000s |
| Notable association | Playback voice of Dr. Rajkumar in Kannada cinema |
Sreenivas was born into a Telugu-speaking family in Kakinada in coastal Andhra. He was drawn to music from childhood and was trained in Carnatic music. He pursued higher studies, reportedly completing a degree in commerce, before moving to Madras (now Chennai) in pursuit of a career in film music. The cosmopolitan film industry centred in Madras, which then catered to Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam productions, became the base of his professional life.
After initial struggles in the early 1950s, Sreenivas gained a foothold through Hindi and Telugu assignments before establishing himself in Tamil cinema. His soft, restrained baritone, well suited to the romantic hero, brought him recognition with composers of the era, including K. V. Mahadevan, Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and others.
In Tamil films of the late 1950s and 1960s, Sreenivas became a preferred voice for Gemini Ganesan and was used extensively by Sivaji Ganesan and other leading actors as well. His songs in films such as Kalyana Parisu, Padagotti, Server Sundaram, Iruvar Ullam and Paasamalar are considered classics of Tamil film music.
Sreenivas's most enduring identification is with Kannada cinema. From the early 1960s, he became the principal playback voice of Dr. Rajkumar, singing for him in a long succession of films across nearly two decades. Many of the songs that defined Rajkumar's screen image as a romantic and devotional hero were rendered by Sreenivas, working with composers such as G. K. Venkatesh, T. G. Lingappa and Vijaya Bhaskar. This association continued until Rajkumar himself began to sing for his own films from the mid-1970s, beginning with Sampathige Savaal.
Sreenivas also sang in Telugu films, though less prolifically than in Tamil and Kannada, and contributed songs in Hindi, Malayalam, Tulu and Sanskrit. He was known for his fluency across languages and his clear diction.
Apart from singing, Sreenivas was a poet and writer. He wrote lyrics in multiple languages, composed verses in Sanskrit and Urdu, and authored ghazals. He was known in Madras's literary and musical circles for impromptu verse-making and for his interest in classical literature.
Sreenivas's voice was characterised by softness, clarity and an unhurried emotional pitch, which made it especially suited to introspective, romantic and philosophical songs. In an era dominated by more flamboyant male voices in South Indian cinema, his understated style provided a contrast that composers used effectively for tender screen situations. In Kannada cinema in particular, his pairing with Dr. Rajkumar shaped the soundscape of the industry's classic period and remains a reference point in discussions of Kannada film music.
From the 1980s onwards, with changing musical trends and the rise of new playback voices, Sreenivas's film output reduced. He continued to give concerts, participate in cultural events, and write poetry. He lived in Chennai for most of his later life and died there in April 2013.
Sreenivas received several state honours and lifetime achievement awards from cultural bodies and film associations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, in recognition of his contribution to South Indian film music. Music institutions and fan associations in Karnataka, in particular, have organised tribute concerts and memorial events celebrating his songs with Dr. Rajkumar.