Music is the man
They say that there is nothing new to write about Taj Mahal, everything that needs to be said has been said. Ilayaraja is in the same category. The music and the man behind it have been so well documented that anyone attempting to do it runs the risk of re-inventing the wheel.
To talk of Ilayaraja's music in terms of numbers is a sacrilege tantamount as it is too gauging the power of Lord Hanuman on his ability to jump long distances. Ilayaraja's numbers aren't about numbers, so to speak. It is in the nuanced mathematics behind those numbers. It is like mother's cooking. It is simple; though aimed at the stomach, it appeals to the heart and soul. Raja's music too tailored for our ears eventually ends up in our heart. The four chambers of the heart is his musical sabha forever playing those impossible violin bits, the alluring flute nuggets, the astounding earthy rhythms, the tonal simplicity, the essential harmony.
For the beginners, this is the story so far: He has composed over 4000 songs. Has scored music for over 800 films and has won several national and international awards. A legend in him, this music-composer has made every Tamilian proud. His songs can be heard in every nook and corner of Tamil provide a fresh feel to the listeners every time. Ilayaraja, who made his debut with Annakili, is perhaps the Issac Newton of Tamil film music, changing forever what we heard and how.
The journey from Pannaiyapuram to Annakili till Cheeni Kum has been nothing but meteoric for Ilayaraja. It is the stuff of modern-day legend. Today he is revered as the music genius and guiding spirit for many up and coming playback singers and music directors. The thing about Ilayaraja is he changed the grammar of film music without diluting its purity or mortgaging its souls. His innovations are amazing in that he has invented newness from old things.
Ilayaraja, born on 2 June 1943 in Pannaipuram, a little hamlet in Madurai district of Tamilnadu in a big family was attracted by music since his early days. His elder brother Pavalar Varadaraja, a romantic boned up on country music and Communist ideals, was his early muse. The Pavalar brothers, as they were known (and that included the innovatively lively Gangai Amaran), struggled before making a mark in films. Their early days were a saga of grit and gumption as the brothers worked their way through to make a mark.
And then Annakili arrived. It was a tour de force, not just in its musical content, but in its liveliness, in its blithe spirit, in its fresh fluttering. It was liberation for a generation of music lovers. Film music changed then and there.
Since then he has come up with catchy music for over 800 films. With his deft improvisations and constant experiments he has composed more than 4000 songs. Apart from many titles, he has won the National awards and State awards many times. He is an unbelievably fast and an indefatigable worker. The success of many films in the 80s owes it to this small unassuming simpleton wielding the baton like a magician would a wand.