# Ilaiyaraaja - Annakkili to Sindhubhairavi
#
# Credits: kanniks@uceng.uc.EDU (k kannikeswaran)
# Author: K Kannikeswaran
# (posted in soc.culture.tamil)
#

In this article, I am going to trace through most of his hits, with a brief analysis of trends that shaped his music, and the trends that that he created, which shaped the rest of the film world..Most of what is written here is (actually all of it is!) recalled from memory; i dont have any references to crosscheck. A lot of my own opinions are also included in here..It is impossible to sum up his achievements as he has accomplished a lot in close to two decades.

I am going to post this article in five parts.

Part 1: Ilaiyaraaja - Annakkili to Sindhubhairavi
Part 2: Ilaiyaraaja - Sindhubhairavi to Singaravelan
Part 3: Ilaiyaraaja - Singaaravelan to 1993
Part 4: Ilaiyaraaja - Playback singers
Part 5: Ilaiyaraaja - Lyricists

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Ilaiyaraaja - Annakkili to Sindhubhairavi
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His origins in Annakkili, kind of rocked Madras, what with "Machhanai paatteengala" booming over loudspeakers all over the place. "Devan Tiruchhabai Malargale" - does anyone remember this song? What a sweet song! I remember, as kids we used to wait for Christmas or Good Friday, to watch this song on "Oliyum Oliyum", as they stopped broadcasting this song on AIR in the late 70s. "Oru naal unnodu oru naal" is another song that I remember from his early years. The song that really brought to me what they call "Name recognition" is "Manjal Nilavukku inru orey sugam" from the film "Mudaliravu" . The first time I heard it was on "Neyar Viruppam" the weekly program on Sundays (Madras A, 4-5pm). This song was electric, at that time. Hits of this period include "Chittira Chevvanam", "Kaatriniley varum geetam". Around this period, came the super hit song "Naaney Naana" from "Azhagey unnai Aaradikkiren". There was a small.. small controversy, that this song was based on the signature tune of "Vayalum Vaazhvum" of Chennai Tolaikkatchi Nilayam. This was explained in one of those "Ediroli" programs. "Idil enna sandegam? Vayalum vaazhvum nigazhchikku title tune pottavarum Ilaiyaraaja taan" enru. "En kalyana vaibogam unnodu taan" from the same movie was also a super hit. By this time, a definite style was taking shape. Annakkili started with much emphasis on folk music, while the maestero made his way into the late seventies, he had diversified into several other domains. As Panju Arunachalam once remarked in "Sirappu Tenkinnam" on "Vividhbharatiyin vartaka oli parappu" sometime in the 80s, "Karnataka isai vendum enru kettargal. Udaney pottuvittar ilaiyaraaja - Chinnakkannan Azhaikkiran". This song sung by BMK, is probably known to one and all.

Elaborate orchestration, crisp catchy tunes etc. were the selling points of Ilaiyaraajas music. "En kanmani en kaadali" from Chittukkuruvi, "Sentaazhampoovil", "Adi Penne" etc. were hummed by one and all. The biggest hits were probably from "Padinaaru vayadiniley" and "Priya". Priya was supposedley the first tamil movie with stereophonic sound. Priya again saw another new level in orchestration (remember the 2nd interlude in the song). Sendoorappove was a super hit. Although branded a folk song, this song has definite baroque music influence at least in the second interlude, which begins with a major string section. Rosaappoo ravikkaikkari, kizhakke pogum rail, etc. had a number of good songs too. At this point in time, there was a marked use of the scales of Karnatic music based raagams in his music; esp. Kovil Mani Osai, Maanjolaikkilidano, (KPR), Ennullil engo (Rosappoo ravikkaikkari) Tamtananam (Pudiya vaarpukkal), Solaikkuyile (Ponnu Oorukku pudusu) etc.Ponnu oorukku pudusu had some excellent songs, which I had never heard on AIR. (Onakkenna taane innerama).

Now let us take a look at the retalliation from other music directors. Comparable superhits of that period were "Ninaittale inikkum" by MSV. I have had many feverish fights with my then classmates over who was the best music director Ilaiyaraaja or MSV. The MSV defendants would usually come up with Ninaittale inikkum for their argument. Shankar Ganesh have always been around. KV Mahadevan came up with Enippadigal somewhere during this period.

"Uravugal Todarkadai" from "Aval Appadittan" is an evergreen song. this song showed a marked influence of Western music and this was to continue into Johny "En vaaniley" in 1980 (gosh! iis it that far back in time- these songs are still fresh). "Germanyin Senten malare" from Ullasa paravaigal, "Engengae sellum" from pattakatti bairavan , "Illamaiyenum Poonkaatru" are some of those songs still fresh from 1978 -79 -80.

There was this film called "Kannil teriyum kadaigal" where each song was tuned by a different music director. Shankar ganesh tuned the song "Naan onna nenachen" sung by spb, vanijayaram and jikki, while ilaiyaraaja tuned the song "Naan oru ponnoviyam kandaen".

TRajendar made his appearance in 1980 with his Orutalai raagam. His next film "Vasanta Azhaippukal" didnt have too many hit songs. More on TR later. Oru talai raagam kind of took over Madras..

"Katril endan geetam" by Janaki, from Johny, (1980) is still remembered by her as one of her best songs (apparently she was interviewed on TV last month or so).

"Moodu Pani" - was Ilaiyaraaja"s nooravadu padam. By this time, he had begun to use synthesizers and keyboards to a large extent. The point to note however is this. The superhit song all over India at this time was "Aap jaisa koi mere" from the film "Qurbani" which introduced synthesized beats for the first time. All music directors followed suit, while Ilaiyaraaja didnt...

Moodu pani again - En iniya pon nilave - still a fresh song. Nizhalgal was released at the same time. "Poonkadave", Ponmalaippozhudu , (Vairamuttus first song), "Madai tirandu" and "Doorattil naan kanda". Poonkadave is a fantastic song, one of his career best songs I would say. Excellent orchestration, beautiful flow, etc. etc..; This was a Deepavali release, and the movie was a flop..

There was a small lull in hits after this film, and then the next biggest hit of Ilaiyaraaja"s career was "Andi Mazhai Pozhigiradu". I heard it for the first time on a hand held transistor, a 1000 miles away from Madras, and was more than impresssed. This song is probably one of the landmarks, in the shaping up of his style.. there was a marked influence of Indian Classical Music, Jazz, W. Classical music at this point in time.

Gangai Amaran made his appearance as a music director at this time with his Mouna geetangal.

The post "Andi Mazhai" period saw the emergence of Alaigal Oivatillai. Aayiram taamarai mottukkale - what a song, kaadal oviyam, puttam pudu kaalai (not picturized in the movie), vizhiyil vizhundu etc. Almost during the same week, the film Panneer Pushpangal was released. Wonderful songs again. Kodaikkala kaatre, Poontalir aada, Aananda raagam..(even Aananda vikatan mentioned Ilaiyaraaja"s use of the scale of the ragam Simhendramadyamam in this song)..

Around Aug 15, 1981 came the films Netrikkan, Karaiyellam Shenbagappoo. The songs in Karaiyellam shenbagappoo were kind of washed away because of poor publicity. The film had some good songs to talk about. There was a low for some time again, and by Apr 14, 1982 there was a new harvest - Ninaivellam Nitya, Tooral Ninnu Pochu, Payanangal Mudivatillai, Moonram Pirai etc.

Kannadasan passed away in late 1981, and the partnership between him and Ilaiyaraaja ended with Moonram Pirai (posthumously released).

Tick Tick Tick, Bharatirajas move had "Idu oru nilaakkalam" - a novel concept in itself.

By this time, Vairamuttu was the leading lyric writer for Ilaiyaraaja. Ilaiya nilaa was an instant hit, so were "Ei aatta", Togai ila mayil, Tangachhangili, En soga kadaya kelu, Erikkara poongatte, and of course Pani vizhum malarvanam, Needane etc.etc. The style of songs at this point in time was totally different from those in 1979. There was a marked use of keyboards etc. etc.

Moonraam pirai was probably the first record produced by ECHO rec. studio.

Ilaiyaraaja"s influence on other music directors can be seen from the songs "Rendu kannam sandana kinnam" and "Kanaa kaanum kangal" etc.

Oops. I forgot to mention AVM"s Murattukkalai, with the folkish song "Poduvaga en manasu" . AVM came out with Sakalakalavallavan in 1982. This movie ran for 25 weeks at Alankar theater.., and the songs "Kattavandi", "Ilamai ido ido" were the ear catchers. The song "Amman Kovil kezhakkala" is kind of reminiscent of the song "Solam vedakkaiyile" from padinaaru vayadinile. At the same time, was released the rajini film which had the songs Pattu vanna selaikkari and Taayum naane etc..

At this point in time most of the strong teams had split, and former assistant directors were beginnning to direct movies - such as Gopurangal Saivatillai, Raagangal Maaruvatillai etc. Illamaikkalangal had some good songs. At this time the style of music had undergone another transformation.

Hit songs of the early from other music directors include those from films Uyirullavarai Usha, and Anda Ezhu naatkal, Darling Darling etc.

For a while, Illayaraaja was not scoring music for any of Sivaji"s films. (after the Tyagam Deepam Naan vazha vaippen era). His music resumed in Vellai Roja, with Malaysia Vasudevan singing for Sivaji Ganesan.

Taai Mookambikai, came out in 1983 i think ; this movie had a whole assembly of artistes singing together (balamurali, seerkazhi, ms visvanathan etc.). Salangai Oli, came out in 83 too. So did a whole host of films such as Malaiyoor Mambattiyan etc. Illaiyaraja was always the music director for AVMs high budget films - Sakalakala, Paayum Puli, the block buster Mundaanai mudichu.

Early in 1984 or was it late 83, Ilaiyaraaja toured around the world. Upon returning he authored a book titled "En Innisaikkanavugal" or something like that. It is an interesting book, where he talks about his experiences and how the French liked the song "Edo Mogam" from Kozhi Koovudu. Mann Vasanai, was Bharatiraajas come back in 83. Early 84 didnt have too many hit songs to speak of. Pudumaippen saw hits appear again, and so did Nallavanukku nallavan. At this time there was another change in style, this time absorbing some of the elements of the 78-79 period. Songs such as "Chittukku", "Kaadal Mayakkam", "Devan tanda veenai" etc. bear testimony to this.

Ilaiyaraaja"s 200th movie was "Aayiram Nilave Vaa". The 250th was a Motherland Pictures movie with the songs Paadum Vaanambadi, Paada vaa (1984?).

Sadma was released in late 1983 I think ( a remake of Moonraam pirai). A song from Sadma, was recreated as "En vaazhvile" for Tambikku enda ooru - a rajni film.

There was again a change in style, Kaakki chattai, Selvi, Pagal Nilavu etc. The 300th movie was Udaya Geetam again a Motherland creations, in 1985.

1985 was probably a landmark year, with Sindubhairavi winning awards left and right. Other hits of this period, Poove Poochooda Vaa, Idayakkovil.