இளையராஜா - பகுதி 1 1

IR is a perfectionist. He has the film industry for 20 years. He has composed music for more than 700 films. And I heard he has composed new ragas(I can remember Panchamukhi..). And finally he is gifted and that is the reason why he is able to provide so many good songs which have made the people long for his music.
Why was Salvador Dali considered a genius? All his paintings were not recognized when he lived because it was surrealistic. Galileo was beheaded because he invented the telescope.. All the men who were great are not recognized when they live. Only after they die people sing praises of them.
I am sure that people will certainly realize that IR was a genius in future. Because, the great composers like Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi are not forgotten and they are still immortal because of their greatness. So, I feel that IR will also have a everlasting name in Tamil music’s history. God Bless him!!

Anybody can become No. 1 some time or other. Being the no. 1 what are your achievements and what is your contribution? Ilayaraja has nothing to achieve anymore. Can any one of you give me a department in Music where any music director has achieved something better than Ilayaraja? I will discuss in detail his achievement in all departments of music to my knowledge. If I am wrong or If you know something I missed I welcome a healthy argument supoported by solid arguments.

In the statement I quoted, he has said ARR has done a better job in his first five years. In his First 5 years Raja has done more than 200 films and more than 1000 mega hit songs. He was not promoted by any producer or Director or Press or satellite TVs. How do you put these 200 films and 1000 songs against 25 films and 30 songs? Are you crazy?

You yourself had said that Raja has 20 years exp. while ARR has 5 years exp. In 20 years Raja has scored more than 800 films and 4000 songs. He has atleast 150 films where all the songs in the film were super hits. He has more than 2000 hit songs and his average films per year is 40. If you project ARR’s career, he has done only 30 films so far and around 15 hit movies and 50 hit songs. Assuming consistency he can atmost do 125 films and around 200 hit songs. Has he ever done music for a low budget film or a new director or an actor like Ramarajan, Rajkiran, Murali etc? In what sense you claim that he has done a better job? In the amt he is paid? I will give you an information. Ilayaraja was paid Rs.40 lacks for Thalabathi in 1991, which was the best ever salary in India till that time. He has earned more than 300 crores in 20 years.

In another place he mentioned that Ilayaraja has copied Hindi and western? Do you have evidence? I have evidence for Rahman’s copying. The flute music that starts “Ennavale” in Kadalan was taken from a famous western composer who generously declared that anybody can use his composings as a library. Rahman has agreed this in an interview with Anantha Vigatan.

Now I will start with How Ilayaraja is uncomparable.

I claim Ilayaraja to be uncomparable in the following concerns.

1. Songs
2. Background Music
3. Trend Setter
4. Consistency
5. Carnatic Music
6. Albums
7. Multi Lingual Perfomance
8. Customizing Songs for directors/actors
9. Technology in music
10. His magnanimity
11. His responsibity in making the film A super hit
12. His Productivity – Quickness & Excellence
13. His professional Composing style
14. Promoting the cine industry / consumer electronics