Malayalam Singer Edava Basheer Collapses on Stage During Performance; Dies at 78

Edava Basheer collapsed on stage during a performance on 28 May.

Malayalam singer Edava Basheer.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

Malayalam singer Edava Basheer died after he collapsed on stage while he was performing at an event in Kerala on 28 May. He was 78. The live event was held to observe the 50th anniversary of the music troupe Bhima’s Blue Diamond Orchestra.

Basheer, who was earlier a part of Bhima’s Blue Diamond Orchestra, was performing KJ Yesudas’ song ‘Mana Ho Tum Behad Haseen’ from the film Toote Khilone which released in 1977. By the end of the song, he collapsed and was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, “The demise of Basheer, who played an important role in popularising 'ganamela', is a huge loss to the music world.”

The troupe got its name in 1973 while B. Bindu Madhav led it and the orchestra was officially inaugurated by musicians RK Shekhar (AR Rahman’s father), MK Arjunan, and Kumarakom Rajappan.

Basheer made his singing debut in a film in 1978 with ‘Veena Vaayikkum’ and also launched the Kollam Sangeethalaya Ganamela troupe in 1972.