Music composer Ilaiyaraaja has written two letters to the inistry of Information and Broadcasting over the division of music direction category at the National Awards into two parts. The composer says that dividing the category into two separate awards belittles the work of composers.
According to a report in The Hindu, Ilaiyaraaja says that the bifurcation leads to not only dilution of the award but also 'pollution'. "There should be only one category of music direction similar to direction, cinematography and editing. The performance of a music director should be judged in a holistic manner which includes songs as well as background score. Giving award for songs alone or for background score alone is honouring somebody's work which is half well done which, I am sure, is not the intention of our National Awards," reads an excerpt from one of the letters.
The composer chose to give the 63rd National Awards ceremony in Delhi a miss even though he had been adjudged the winner in the Best Music Direction - Background Score. The composer told The Hindu, "Till 2010, there was one national award for Best Music Direction. I have received it thrice — for Sagara Sangamam, Sindhu Bhairavi and Rudraveena. What is the meaning of giving me an award for Best Music Direction - Background Score, and M. Jayachandran an award for Best Music Direction? It not only means that I have done an incomplete job as music director but also implies that only half of my work is good. It means that the committee now encourages music directors to do half the job,"