Ilaiyaraaja

Quick Introduction

About Ilaiyaraaja

On June 3, 1943, Born as R. Gnanathesikan, Ilaiyaraaja is not only a renowned figure in Indian cinema but is also a driving force behind music. With a career spanning more than 40 years, he is well-known for his prolific songwriting and film score work, which has led to him being dubbed "Isaignani" (the musical sage) and "Maestro" by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

His brilliance knew no boundaries. He even composed the first South Asian symphony. He was among the first Indian film composers to incorporate Western classical harmonies and string arrangements into Indian cinema. With "Vikram", he was the first to use computers in film music in 1986. He later composed India's first oratorio, "Thiruvasagam in Symphony", in 2006. His influence was felt all over India. In 2013, a CNN-IBN poll celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema crowned him the nation's greatest music composer, and in 2014, the prestigious American portal "Taste of Cinema" placed him among the 25 greatest film composers in cinema history, alongside legends like Ennio Morricone and John Williams.

After his quick ascent, he has received notable accolades. He has won numerous National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards. However, Ilaiyaraaja believes that the real benefit comes from the emotional bond he creates with his audience. His music finds a place in people's hearts all over the world despite national boundaries.

Admiration followed his achievements. He was granted the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honor, in 2010 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, India's highest accolade for performing artists, in 2012. The second-highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan, came next in 2018. He even entered politics in 2022 when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha as a Member of Parliament. His melodic enchantment materialized both on stage and in cinema. He has played in more than 20,000 concerts, bringing music to a wide audience. His compositions continue to enthrall audiences of all ages, often brought to life by legendary voices such as S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki, and K. S. Chithra.

The path of the maestro is not over yet. An untitled biographical drama starring Dhanush and helmed by R. Balki is scheduled to premiere in October 2024. It promises to explore his life prior to fame and unveil the untold tales of the man who revolutionized Indian cinema music. The life of Ilaiyaraaja is an enthralling tale of skill, ingenuity, and unwavering devotion that is interwoven into Indian music culture and beyond.

Ilaiyaraaja is regarded as a living legend today; his name is a byword for inventiveness in music and limitless imagination. He has pushed boundaries and influenced a generation of musicians, completely redefining the sound design of Indian cinema. One thing is certain, though: the melody of Ilaiyaraaja will never grow old or out of style as long as he writes, performs, and mentors.

Early Years

In observance of his fellow June 3rd-born politician M. Karunanidhi, who later gave him the title "Isaignani" (musical sage), Ilaiyaraaja, who was born Gnanathesikan on 3rd June 1943 in Tamil Nadu, decided to celebrate his birthday one day early. There were several name changes along his route to legendary status. Gnanathesikan changed his name at school from "Rajaiya" to "Raasayya" and finally to just "Raaja" when he started taking music lessons from Dhanraj Master. After he made his film debut in 1976 with "Annakili", producer Panchu Arunachalam gave him the name "Ilaiyaraaja", prefixing it with "younger" to set him apart from other music directors of the era.

The rich sounds of folk music deeply influenced Ilaiyaraaja's early years in rural Tamil Nadu, where his musical tapestry was woven. He was fourteen when he joined his brother's touring group, the "Pavalar Brothers", and spent ten years touring South India, developing his craft and even writing his first composition, a moving elegy for India's first Prime Minister.

In 1968, Ilaiyaraaja enrolled in Professor Dhanraj's music course in search of formal training. There, he studied Western classical music, counterpoint, and instrumental proficiency. For his hard work, he was awarded a gold medal in classical guitar from Trinity College of Music in London. He also studied Carnatic music under the renowned T. V. Gopalakrishnan.

Ilaiyaraaja's innovative style was later defined by his painstaking fusion of Eastern and Western influences with academic rigor and rural roots and forever changed the landscape of Indian cinema music. Nevertheless, despite his quick ascent, he maintained his modesty and reverence for M. Karunanidhi, his mentor, which is a credit to the man who was behind the maestro.

Career

Ilaiyaraaja, a multi-talented musician, was juggling life in the busy Chennai of the 1970s. He lent his guitar skills to a band-for-hire and donned various hats as a session guitarist, keyboardist, and organist for seasoned film music composers like Salil Chowdhury and directors. Realizing Ilaiyaraaja's untapped talent, Chowdhury even predicted that he would become India's greatest composer in the future. His appointment as the musical assistant to Kannada film composer G. K. Venkatesh marked a turning point in his career. He went on to work on an incredible 200 projects, most of which were for Kannada films.

Ilaiyaraaja refined his compositional abilities under Venkatesh's guidance, arranging the melodic frameworks that his teacher had created. Still, his artistic spark flared, and he began writing his own scores. In order to bring his creations to life, he would entice Venkatesh's session musicians to perform brief excerpts during their intermissions; his unwavering dedication and enthusiasm laid the groundwork for the eventual musical marvel.

Film Albums

Despite initially finding it difficult to translate his distinct musical sensibility to the cinema, Ilaiyaraaja's career was drastically changed in 1975 by a fortuitous meeting with producer Panchu Arunachalam. After hearing him perform a casual song, Arunachalam gave him a commission for "Annakili" (1976), in which Ilaiyaraaja daringly combined Tamil folklore with Western orchestration. Initial doubts about industry reception vanished with the film's resounding success. For his first twelve films, he adhered to modern film music trends, but a new wave of cinema allowed him to truly explore. Ilaiyaraaja's early mentor, Bengali composer Salil Choudhury, is renowned for calling him "the best composer in India".

By adding Tamil folk music, Ilaiyaraaja revitalized Indian film music and became well-known by the mid-1980s. He collaborated with prominent poets and lyricists, forming strong partnerships with filmmakers like Bharathiraja, Balu Mahendra, K. Balachander, and Mani Ratnam. For "Chembaruthi" (1992), director R. K. Selvamani claimed to have written nine songs in a record 45 minutes, and cinematographer Santosh Sivan was astounded that Ilaiyaraaja completed "Thalapathi's" entire soundtrack in less than six hours. Even R.D. Burman's Mumbai orchestra gave the song "Sundari" from "Thalapathi" a standing ovation when they heard how beautiful it was. Among his notable compositions are the soundtracks for "My Dear Kuttichathan" (1984), India's first stereoscopic 3D film, and "Nayakan" (1987), which was listed in Time magazine's list of the top 100 films ever made. The goal of Ilaiyaraaja's musical journey was to completely transform and alter the soundtrack of Indian cinema, not just to learn and adapt.

Non-Film Albums

Beyond movie soundtracks, Ilaiyaraaja has a vast musical oeuvre. His early experiments with fusion took off when he blended Carnatic ragas with Baroque textures in "How to Name It?" (1986), a tribute to Carnatic master Tyāgarāja and J.S. Bach. With flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia, "Nothing But Wind" (1988) investigated music as "air currents". U. Srinivas's Carnatic Kritis was featured in "Ilaiyaraaja's Classics on the Mandolin" in 1994. Thereafter, devotional albums were released, such as the Ramana Maharshi-inspired "Guru Ramana Geetam" in 2004 and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra-performed oratorio "Thiruvasakam: A crossover" in 2005. His 2020 "Bharath Bhoomi" tribute to COVID-19 workers, co-written with S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, serves as a moving reminder of his social consciousness. In the future, he plans to release the "Isai O.T.T." app, which will reveal the narratives behind his music and partnerships in addition to offering music.

The music of Ilaiyaraaja has found resonance outside of India as well. "Naanthaan Ungappanda" was featured in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, and pieces such as "Paayum Puli Title Music" and "Ilamai Itho" were part of Ashim Ahluwalia's "Miss Lovely" at Cannes. "The Black Eyed Peas" sampled "Unakkum Ennakum" for "The Elephunk Theme", while "Mella Mella Ennaithottu" found its way into Rabbit Mac's "Sempoi" and Meek Mill's "Indian Bounce". "Kaatukuyilu" from "Thalapathi" was sampled in M.I.A.'s "Bamboo Banga" on "Kala", and his compositions also influenced Alphant and Gonjasufi. These global resonances demonstrate how Ilaiyaraaja's melodies are a universal language that cuts across boundaries and age groups.

Live Performances

Even though Ilaiyaraaja is well-known for his extensive studio work, his live performances are exceptional events. In 2005, he performed for the first time in public at Chennai's Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. The four-hour show drew large crowds. In 2004, Europe saw his magic at the Angelica Festival Internazionale Di Musica held at the Teatro Comunale Di Modena, Italy.

His illustrious career was chronicled in a retrospective series called "Ithu Ilaiyaraja" for television audiences who were not forgotten. Live performances continued on occasion, such as at the audio premiere of the movie "Dhoni" and a special Jaya TV show in 2011 called "Enrendrum Raja".

A flurry of live performances began in 2012, first with an event in Chennai with the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra. During this concert, the music for his films "Neethane En Ponvasantham" and "Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu" was released. Later that month, he was hosted at the National High School Grounds in Bangalore.

In 2013, Ilaiyaraaja made his debut at Toronto's Rogers Centre and went on to conquer North America. There were more performances at the H.P. Pavilion in San Jose and the Prudential Center in Newark. His farewell performance in 2013 took place at London's O2 Arena, where he performed alongside Kamal Haasan and his sons, Yuvan Shankar Raja and Karthik Raja.

Awards and Recognitions

The genius of music, Ilaiyaraaja, has won him multiple awards and transcended national boundaries. His mastery is evidenced by five National Film Awards, two Padma Bhushans and Vibhushans, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and a gold medal in classical guitar from Trinity College, London. His "Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu" placed fourth in a B.B.C. worldwide poll of the greatest hits of all time in 2003, and in 2013, he was named India's greatest composer by a CNN-IBN poll. There is no denying the pioneering spirit of Ilaiyaraaja. He was the first South Asian to compose a complete symphony, the first Indian to record a computer-aided soundtrack ("Vikram"), and the first to introduce Western classical harmonies into Tamil film. His 2006 oratorio, "Thiruvasakam in Symphony", was the first by an Indian composer.

His vast musical repertoire and versatility have been praised by experts such as Achille Forler and Andy Votel, and Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna regards him as an absolute master whose range and adaptability are beyond comprehension. The Guardian even included the soundtrack of his "Thalapathi" in its "100 Albums to Hear Before You Die" list. On 6th July 2022, the President of India nominated him as a Member of Parliament to the Rajya Sabha, further acknowledging his talent. Ilaiyaraaja's tale is one of unwavering devotion, extraordinary talent, and a never-ending quest to push musical boundaries, all of which helped to cement his status as a musical legend.

Controversies

Ilaiyaraaja hasn't limited his illustrious career to just receiving praise. A copyright dispute arose in 2017 over his songs, which prompted him to serve S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Chithra with legal notices prohibiting them from performing his compositions without his permission. His brother Gangai Amaran criticized this action, labeling it "foolishness". The following year, Ilaiyaraaja was the target of a complaint after remarks he made challenging the Christian belief in resurrection infuriated the Christian community. Additional controversies surfaced in 2022, including his critical evaluation of the industry's dearth of "composers" and dependence on "programmers" and his foreword to a book that compared Prime Minister Modi to B.R. Ambedkar. This caused a rift in opinion and drew criticism and support from influential politicians. Ilaiyaraaja's musical legacy is still enormous in spite of these scandals, demonstrating his enduring influence on listeners of all ages.

Social Media Outreach

Major social media sites like Instagram and YouTube allow users to follow Ilaiyaraaja and be a part of his glamour. He has an incredible fan base of 2.8 million people on Facebook alone and 155k people on Twitter; he has the most followers on his official YouTube channel by the name 'Ilaiyaraaja Official', which has a whopping 1.54 million subscribers. He even has a private Instagram account with 12.4k followers. More dedicated fans follow his various accounts on different music applications like Jiosaavn, Spotify, and Gaana.