Janice Rodrigues (BOMBAY TIMES; November 30, 2019)

“Music is everywhere in the universe, it’s not that I make the music, I believe that it shouldn’t be about how much music I know; music should know about me and come to me,” said Ilaiyaraaja about how he gets some of his melodies. He was speaking at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) masterclass titled ‘The Musical Maestro’. IFFI probably never had such a full auditorium for a masterclass before and this just showed how much of a fan following Ilaiyaraaja has.

R Balki, who was the moderator of the session, spoke of the musical genius saying that he can weave magic into the films with his music.“Even in the heat and discomfort of Chennai, he has been able to make people smell roses! And he taught half the country how to fall in love, just with his music,” said Balki.

The director who worked with Ilaiyaraaja in several films, said that the maestro would not be able to speak about how he makes his music, but even after 58 films a year, he still has the enthusiasm of a child and is very witty when he does speak. The music director, who truly spoke through his performances with his troupe, held the audience captive with his genius, and indeed made a few witty remarks. Upon being asked about how his process works and he puts music that is opposite to that of the scene sometimes, he quirkily replied, “Why should I tell you?” He then continued, “When I choose a film I try and see what fun is there for me in the film; I don’t want to get bored.”

Speaking more about music, he said the musician should create music that can bring people together, and try and bring heart into the film. “Without any expressions from the actor, I can compose music to show that he is thinking of his mother or his lover; which country he is in and what he is feeling, all this just through the music,” he said.

He then demonstrated his skill when Balki suggested a scene of a son plotting to kill his father and the maestro composed a track in a span of ten minutes. The audience was held rapt and sang along when they were later treated to some of his famous numbers Aye Zindagi Gale Lagaa Le, Surmayee Ankhiyon Mein and his version of Neele Neele Ambar Par.