Illayaraja is a renowned film composer, singer and lyricist. He was the most prominent composer of music in south Indian films during the 1970`s, 80`s and early 1990`s. Illayaraja, was born on 2nd June in 1943 in Pannaipuram in Theni district of Tamil Nadu. He was the third son of Ramaswamy and Chinnathayammal. At the age of fourteen, he joined a travelling musical troupe. In 1968 he arrived in Madras where he was the student of Dhanraj, a music teacher. He was introduced to western classical music and the compositions of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert captivated him. The highest point in his career came when he received a gold medal in classical guitar after completing a course from the Trinity College of Music, London.
Illayaraja revolutionized the Tamil film industry with his music. He has composed for over 4000 songs that include almost 800 films. Coming to the limelight in 1970s he continued his work till the early 1990s. With an experience of 30 years behind him he can be rightly referred to as the predecessor of innovative music directors, like, AR Rahman.
Illayaraja`s style of music was unique in the 1970s. From his childhood he was influenced by Tamil folk songs. As he provided music for the films he blended the Tamil folk music with Western music. In fact the man is a gold medalist in classical guitar from the Trinity College of Music in London. However, it was not before 1976 that he got his first break as a music composer.
His career took off with the Tamil film, Annakkili which was produced by Panchu Arunachalam. Before this he had played as a part of the orchestra with leading musicians and assisted them too. He introduced the Western Classical music harmonies and string instruments in Indian cinema. He created a fusion of Tamil and Western genres that included pop, bossa nova, jazz, acoustic guitar based Western folk, psychedelia, flamenco, funk, dance music or disco numbers, doo-wop, rock and roll, march, pathos, Afro-tribal, Indian classical and Tamil folk music.
Such outstanding flair fetched him the National Film Award thrice for Saagara Sangamam (1984), Sindhu Bhairavi (1986) and Rudraveena (1989) respectively. Illayaraja has composed music for films in several languages: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi. His works in Bollywood include films, such as, Sadma (1983), Lajja (2001) and Cheeni Kum (2007). He has been associated with some of the finest directors of Indian film industry, such as, Balachander, Bharathiraja, K. Vishwanath, Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, Balu Mahendra, Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan. As far as the audience is concerned his fusion music was widely accepted including the rural masses.
His music instruments would often include synthesizers, rhythm boxes, keyboards and electric guitar, saxophone, flutes and traditional orchestras, such as, tabla, veena, mridangam, venu, nadaswaram and dholak. His kind of music requires highly versatile singers to do justice to it. Fortunately it found expression through the voices of Alta Mangeshkar, SP Balasubramanium, Yesudas, Chitra, S Janaki, Asha Bhosle, Malaysia Vasudevan, P Suseela and others. In later part of the 1990s he had composed devotional and other non-film music as well.
Some of his notable works include Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam and Kannada films.
Tamil Films
| NAME |
YEAR |
| Sigappu Rojakkal |
1978 |
| Raja Paarvai, Tik Tik Tik |
1981 |
| Moondram Pirai |
1983 |
| Mouna Raagam, Punnagai Mannan |
1987 |
| Nayakan |
1987 |
| Apoorva Sagodharargal, Vetri Vizha |
1989 |
| Thalapathi |
1991 |
| Kadhalukku Mariyadhai |
1997 |
| Sethu |
1999 |
| Azhagi |
2002 |
| Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam |
2005 |
| Ajantha, Naan Kadavul, Nandalala, Jagan Mohini, Chinthamani, Manikandan |
2008 |
Malayalam Films
| Aaru manikoor |
Yathra |
Man of the match |
| Dooram arike |
Kaveri |
Guru |
| Manju Moodalmanju |
Poomukhappadiyil ninneyum kathu |
Kaliyoonjalu |
| Garjjanam |
Moonnam Pakkam |
Anuragakottaram |
| Aalolam |
Adharvam |
Manjeera dhwani |
| Olangal |
Chaithram |
Kallu kondoru pennu |
| Ragadeepam |
Geethanjali |
Kochukochu santhoshangal |
| Oomakkuyil |
Anaswaram |
Manassinakkare |
| Pinnilavu |
Ente sooryaputhrikku |
Pachakkuthira |
| Sandhyakku virinja poovu |
Apaaratha |
Sooryan |
| Mangalam nerunnu |
Pappayude swantham appoos |
Vinodayathra |
| Onnanu nammal |
Jackpot |
Innathe Chinthavishayam |
| Unaroo |
Kalapani |
|
Telugu Films
| Mantrigari Viyyankudu |
Rudraveena |
Abhinandana |
| Saagara Sangamam |
Swarna Kamalam |
Dharmakshetram |
| Abhilasha |
Shiva |
Sambhu |
| Challenge |
Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari |
Anumanaspadam |
| Swathi Muthyam |
Rudranetra |
Sunny |
| Anweshana |
Kondaveeti Donga |
Mallepoovu |
