Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna, an internationally renowned Carnatic musician from the illustrious musical lineage of composer Saint Tyagaraja, wore many has in his lifetime. Having made his stage debut at the age of seven, he was hailed as a child prodigy. From then till the time he passed away, at the age of eighty-six in 2016, he remained in the spotlight, not just for his extraordinary talent versatility as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, but as a composer, playback singer and even, briefly, as a character actor.