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{{Short description|Indian composer and playback singer (born 1943)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist<!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| birth_name = R. Gnanathesikan
| image = Ilaiyaraaja at Merku Thodarchi Malai Press Meet (cropped).jpg
| caption = Ilaiyaraaja in 2017
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1943|06|03}}{{efn|name="birthdate"}}
| birth_place = [[Pannaipuram]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| alias = {{unbulleted list|Ilaiyaraja|Maestro|Isaignani}}
| genre = {{flat list|
*[[Film score]]
*[[world music]]
*classical
*[[oratorio]]
*[[Indian folk music|folk]]
*rock
*[[jazz]]
}}
| occupations = {{flat list|
*Composer
*Arranger
*Conductor
*Orchestrator
*Instrumentalist
*Lyricist
*Playback singer
*Film producer
}}
| instruments = {{flat list|
*Vocals ([[Playback singing]])
*[[Guitar]]
*[[Electronic keyboard|keyboard]]
*[[Pump organ|harmonium]]
*[[Flute]]
*[[Pipe organ|organ]]
*[[Piano]]
*[[Violin]]
*[[Cello]]
*[[Mridangam]]
*[[Jal tarang]]
*[[Drums]]
}}
| years_active = 1976–present
| associated_acts = {{flat list|
*[[Salil Choudhury]]
*[[G. K. Venkatesh]]
*[[M. S. Viswanathan]]
*[[John Scott (composer)|John Scott]]
*[[Yuvan Shankar Raja]] (Son)
*[[G. Devarajan]]
*[[V. Dakshinamoorthy]]
}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| education = [[Trinity Laban]]
| spouse = Jeeva Rajayya
| children = [[Karthik Raja]]<br>[[Bhavatharini]]<br>[[Yuvan Shankar Raja]]
| office = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]]
| constituency = [[List of nominated members of Rajya Sabha|Nominated]] ([[The arts|Arts]])
| nominator = [[Ram Nath Kovind]]
| term_start = 7 July 2022
| term_end =
}}
}}
'''Ilaiyaraaja''' (born '''R. Gnanathesikan''')<ref name="Valiant1" /> is an Indian musician, composer, arranger, conductor, orchestrator, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist and playback singer popular for his works in [[Indian cinema]], predominately in [[Tamil cinema|Tamil]] in addition to [[Telugu cinema|Telugu]], [[Malayalam Cinema|Malayalam]], [[Kannada cinema|Kannada]] and [[Hindi cinema|Hindi]] films. Regarded as one of the most prolific composers, in a career spanning over forty-nine years, he has composed over 8,600 songs, provided film scores for about 1,523 feature films in nine languages,<ref name="Valiant">{{cite news |title=Rajya Sabha felicitates Ilaiyaraaja for composing English classical symphony ‘Valiant’ |access-date=3 June 2025 |agency=THE HINDU BUREAU |publisher=The Hindu |date=19 March 2025 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rajya-sabha-felicitates-ilaiyaraaja-for-composing-english-classical-symphony-valiant/article69345495.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250410045552/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rajya-sabha-felicitates-ilaiyaraaja-for-composing-english-classical-symphony-valiant/article69345495.ece |archive-date=10 April 2025}}</ref> and performed in over 20,000 concerts.<ref name="thehindu_200506190401">{{cite web |title=No point in classifying music, says Ilayaraja |date=2005-06-19 |access-date=2022-09-15 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/2005/06/19/stories/2005061904010500.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117184423/http://www.thehindu.com/2005/06/19/stories/2005061904010500.htm |url-status=dead |website=[[The Hindu]] |archive-date=17 January 2016}}</ref> He is nicknamed "Isaignani" (the musical sage) and is often referred to as "[[Maestro]]", the title conferred to him by the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]], [[London]].<ref name="huffingtonpost.in">{{Cite web|date=7 June 2020|title=To Appreciate Ilaiyaraaja's Anti-Caste Politics, You Have To Listen To His Music|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/to-appreciate-ilaiyaraaja-s-anti-caste-politics-you-have-to-listen-to-his-music_in_5eda5614c5b6817661649db5|website=HuffPost India|language=en|access-date=24 June 2020|archive-date=6 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210406072615/https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/to-appreciate-ilaiyaraaja-s-anti-caste-politics-you-have-to-listen-to-his-music_in_5eda5614c5b6817661649db5|url-status=live}}</ref>
Ilaiyaraaja was one of the first Indian film composers to use [[Western classical music]] harmonies and string arrangements in Indian film music,<ref name="filmmusicthenewinterculturalidiomp.110">Venkatraman, S. 1995. "Film music: the new intercultural idiom of 20th century Indian music". pp. 107–112 in A. Euba and C.T. Kimberlin (eds.). ''Intercultural Music Vol. I''. Bayreuth: Breitinger (p. 110).</ref> and is the first Indian, as well as Asian to compose, record, and perform live a full Western classical [[symphony]].<ref name="Valiant1" /><ref name="Valiant" /> In 1986, he became the first Indian composer to record a soundtrack with computer for the film ''[[Vikram (1986 Tamil film)|Vikram]]''.<ref name="m.behindwoods.com">{{Cite web|url=http://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/slideshow/10-technologies-brought-in-by-tamil-cinema/vishwaroopam.html|title=10 Technologies brought in by Tamil Cinema|date=21 November 2016|website=Behindwoods|access-date=10 May 2020|archive-date=11 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911020036/http://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/slideshow/10-technologies-brought-in-by-tamil-cinema/vishwaroopam.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He also composed and orchestrated ''[[Thiruvasakam in Symphony|Thiruvasagam in Symphony]]'' (2006) - the first Indian [[oratorio]].<ref name="finndian.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.finndian.com/cd-review-ilaiyaraaja|title=CD Review: Ilaiyaraaja / Thiruvasagam | Finndian|access-date=29 April 2019|archive-date=30 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430045320/http://www.finndian.com/cd-review-ilaiyaraaja|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2013, when [[CNN-IBN]] conducted a poll to commemorate 100 years of [[Indian cinema]], he secured 49% of the vote and was adjudged the country's greatest music composer.<ref name=indiatimes_37560912>{{cite web|date=8 March 2013|title=NTR is the greatest Indian actor|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/telugu/news-interviews/NTR-is-the-greatest-Indian-actor/articleshow/18860418.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130331080613/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-08/news-interviews/37560912_1_vote-share-greatest-actor-indian-cinema|url-status=live|archive-date=31 March 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=12 April 2013}}</ref> In 2014, the American world cinema portal "Taste of Cinema" placed him at 9th position in its list of 25 greatest film composers in the history of cinema. He is the only Indian on the list, appearing alongside [[Ennio Morricone]], [[John Williams]], and [[Jerry Goldsmith]].<ref name="sify.com">{{Cite web |url=https://www.sify.com/movies/ilayaraja-among-25-greatest-film-composers-in-world-cinema-news-tamil-odrkwHcgagcsi.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226222924/http://www.sify.com/movies/ilayaraja-among-25-greatest-film-composers-in-world-cinema-news-tamil-odrkwHcgagcsi.html |url-status=dead |date=2014-03-17 |access-date=2022-03-06 |archive-date=26 February 2015 |title=Ilayaraja among 25 Greatest Film Composers in world cinema!|website=[[Sify]]}}</ref><ref name="White">{{Cite web|last=White|first=Brian|date=14 March 2014|title=The 25 Greatest Film Composers In Cinema History|url=http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/the-25-greatest-film-composers-in-cinema-history/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606233249/http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/the-25-greatest-film-composers-in-cinema-history/|archive-date=6 June 2014|access-date=24 December 2019|website=Taste of Cinema}}</ref>
Ilaiyaraaja received [[List of awards and nominations received by Ilaiyaraaja|several awards]] for his works throughout his career. In 2012, for his creative and experimental works in the field of music, he received the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]], the highest Indian recognition given to people in the field of [[performing arts]]. In 2010 he was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]], the third-highest civilian honour in India, and in 2018 the [[Padma Vibhushan]], the second-highest civilian award by the [[government of India]]. He is a nominated [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament]] in the Indian upper house [[Rajya Sabha]] since July 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja nominated to the Rajya Sabha |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/music-maestro-ilaiyaraaja-nominated-rajya-sabha-165614 |website=The Newsminute |date=6 July 2022 |access-date=25 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125091449/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/music-maestro-ilaiyaraaja-nominated-rajya-sabha-165614 |archive-date=25 November 2022}}</ref><ref name="Valiant"/> A biographical film about his life titled "Ilaiyaraaja" was announced on 20 March 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraaja-biopic-officially-announced-dhanush-reunites-with-arun-matheswaran/article67971577.ece|title=Ilayaraja's Biopic announcement|website=[[The Hindu]] |date=20 March 2024|access-date=22 March 2024|archive-date=22 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240322010010/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraaja-biopic-officially-announced-dhanush-reunites-with-arun-matheswaran/article67971577.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Early life==
Ilaiyaraaja was born as R. Gnanathesikan in [[Pannaipuram]], at present-day [[Theni district]] in Tamil Nadu, India, on 3 June 1943.<ref name="Valiant1">{{cite news |title=Ilaiyaraaja debuts symphony ‘Valiant’ in London’s Eventim Apollo Theatre; fans call it ‘a surreal experience’ |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraaja-debuts-symphony-valiant-in-londons-eventim-apollo-theatre-fans-call-it-a-surreal-experience/article69312346.ece |access-date=3 June 2025 |agency=THE HINDU BUREAU |publisher=The Hindu |date=10 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250409081026/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraaja-debuts-symphony-valiant-in-londons-eventim-apollo-theatre-fans-call-it-a-surreal-experience/article69312346.ece |archive-date=9 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/controversy-ilayaraja-sanctum-entry-restrictions-temple-protocol-9727690/|title=Ilayaraja slams 'false rumours' after controversy over temple sanctum entry restrictions|work=Indian express|date=17 December 2024|access-date=7 April 2025}}</ref><ref name="thenewsminute_102837">{{Cite web |date=21 May 2019 |title=Casteist message in Ilaiyaraaja's name is fake, composer's lawyer clarifies |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/casteist-message-ilaiayaraajas-name-fake-composers-lawyer-clarifies-102837 |access-date=4 January 2021 |website=The News Minute |language=en |archive-date=8 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208152510/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/casteist-message-ilaiayaraajas-name-fake-composers-lawyer-clarifies-102837 |url-status=live }}</ref> He however celebrates his birthday on 2 June to honour [[M. Karunanidhi]] whose birthdate also falls on 3 June. It was Karunanidhi who gave Ilaiyaraaja the title "Isaignani".<ref name=ToI020620>{{Cite web|date=2 June 2020|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/this-is-why-june-2-became-ilaiyaraajas-birthday/articleshow/76158934.cms|title=This is why June 2 became Ilaiyaraaja's birthday – The Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=3 June 2022|archive-date=3 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603061207/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/this-is-why-june-2-became-ilaiyaraajas-birthday/articleshow/76158934.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|Official date of birth of Ilaiyaraaja is June 3. As the birth dates of both Ilaiyaraaja and [[M. Karunanidhi|Karunanidhi]] fall on the same date i.e June 3, Ilaiyaraaja started celebrating it on June 2, so that people of Tamil Nadu can celebrate only that of Karunanidhi on June 3. This was done in honour of Karunanidhi who gave the title "Isaignani" to Ilaiyaraaja.<ref name=ToI020620/>|name="birthdate"}} At the time of joining school, his father, Ramasamy<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5g4lEc2gNc&t=521s |title=திமுகவில் இணையும்.. தமிழக பாஜகவின் கங்கை அமரன் -அதிரடி அரசியல் திருப்பம்{{!}}Gangai Amaran {{!}} Nerukku Ner |date=2023-01-14 |last=Sathiyam News |access-date=2024-12-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref> changed his name from Gnanathesikan<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=529&v=L5g4lEc2gNc&feature=youtu.be |title=திமுகவில் இணையும்.. தமிழக பாஜகவின் கங்கை அமரன் -அதிரடி அரசியல் திருப்பம்{{!}}Gangai Amaran {{!}} Nerukku Ner |date=2023-01-14 |last=Sathiyam News |access-date=2025-01-27 |via=YouTube}}</ref> to "Rajaiya", and the people in his village called him "Raasayya".<ref name=maalaimalar_01225356>{{cite web |url=http://www.maalaimalar.com/2013/02/01225356/Illayaraja-songs-created-on-th.html |title=திரை இசையில் திருப்பம் உண்டாக்கிய இளையராஜா கிராமிய இசைக்கு புத்துயிர் அளித்தார் |publisher=[[Maalai Malar]] |access-date=1 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104182309/http://www.maalaimalar.com/2013/02/01225356/Illayaraja-songs-created-on-th.html |archive-date=4 January 2015}}</ref> When he joined [[Master Dhanraj|Dhanraj Master]] as a student to learn musical instruments, the master changed his name to "Raja". While working for his first film ''[[Annakili]]'' (1976), Tamil film producer [[Panchu Arunachalam]] added the prefix "Ilaiya" (meaning 'younger' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]) to the name "Raaja", and renamed him as "Ilaiyaraaja", as in the 1970s there was another popular music director with the same suffix, namely [[A. M. Rajah]].<ref name=deccanherald_322751>{{cite web |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/322751/raja-his-rule.html |title=Raja and his rule |website=Deccan Herald |date=30 March 2013 |access-date=31 May 2017 |archive-date=28 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528161251/https://www.deccanherald.com/content/322751/raja-his-rule.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Initial exposure to music===
Ilaiyaraaja grew up in a [[rural area]] and was exposed to a range of [[Music of Tamil Nadu#Folk music|Tamil folk music]] in his formative years.<ref name="Ilaiyarajacomposerasphenomenon">Mohan, A. 1994. Ilaiyaraja: composer as phenomenon in [[Tamil film]] culture. M.A. thesis, Wesleyan University (pp. 106–107).</ref> At the age of 14, he joined a travelling musical troupe named "Pavalar Brothers", headed by his elder brother [[Pavalar Varadharajan]], and spent the next decade performing across [[South India]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last1=Rajadhyaksha|first1=Ashish|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rF8ABAAAQBAJ&q=pavalar+brothers&pg=PA1777|title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema|last2=Willemen|first2=Paul|date=10 July 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-94325-7|language=en|access-date=22 October 2020|archive-date=25 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231025043130/https://books.google.com/books?id=rF8ABAAAQBAJ&q=pavalar+brothers&pg=PA1777#v=snippet&q=pavalar%20brothers&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> While working with the troupe, he penned his first composition, a musical adaptation of an [[elegy]] written by the Tamil [[poet laureate]], [[Kannadasan]], for India's first prime minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]].<ref name=hinduonnet_200407090231>Rangarajan, M. {{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070216034838/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fr/2004/07/09/stories/2004070902310400.htm "Memorable evening in many ways".]}} ''The Hindu''. 9 July 2004. Retrieved 19 November 2006.</ref><ref name=thehindu_24080492>{{Cite news|last1=Ananthakrishnan|first1=G.|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/performance-is-an-important-component-of-a-musical-composition-ilaiyaraaja/article24080492.ece|title=Performance is an important component of a musical composition: Ilaiyaraaja|date=4 June 2018|work=The Hindu|access-date=8 April 2020|last2=Ramani|first2=Srinivasan|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109033030/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/performance-is-an-important-component-of-a-musical-composition-ilaiyaraaja/article24080492.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> In the initial years he used to set tunes to the songs of his brother Pavalar Varadarajan, who was a communist in then undivided [[Communist Party of India]]. He later left to [[Madras]] (now Chennai) along with brother Bhaskar to learn Music, they had only four-hundred rupees, which their mother procured by selling off the home radio. They knew no one in the city and were confident to live off the payments they would receive by singing for people on the streets.<ref name=India/>
In Madras, he became a student of [[Master Dhanraj]] who nurtured his immense potential. Remembering his master, Ilaiyaraaja said, "My master’s tiny room was inhabited by [[Bach]], [[Haydn]], [[Brahms]], [[Mozart]] and [[Beethoven]]. He trained me in classical music."<ref name=India/> Ilaiyaraaja emerged as the topper and a gold medalist in [[classical guitar]] after taking exam from the [[Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance|Trinity College of Music]], London.<ref name="Valiant"/> He also learnt [[Carnatic music]] from [[T. V. Gopalakrishnan]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=google_20170825>{{Cite book|first=Vijaya|last=Ramaswamy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALUvDwAAQBAJ&q=ilayaraja+communist&pg=PA155|title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils|date=25 August 2017|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-5381-0686-0|pages=155|language=en|access-date=22 October 2020|archive-date=25 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231025043130/https://books.google.com/books?id=ALUvDwAAQBAJ&q=ilayaraja+communist&pg=PA155#v=snippet&q=ilayaraja%20communist&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=indiatimes_38767109>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/T-V-Gopalakrishnan-gets-Sangita-Kalanidhi-award/articleshow/38767109.cms|title=T V Gopalakrishnan gets Sangita Kalanidhi award|date=21 July 2014|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=8 April 2020|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126052309/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Chennai/T-V-Gopalakrishnan-gets-Sangita-Kalanidhi-award/articleshow/38767109.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Career==
===Session musician and orchestrator===
During the 1970s, Ilaiyaraaja played guitar in a band-for-hire, and worked as a [[Session musician|session guitarist]], keyboardist, and organist for film music composers and directors such as [[Salil Chowdhury]] from [[West Bengal]].<ref name=hinduonnet_200411230058>Gautam, S. {{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20071016115625/http://hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2004/11/23/stories/2004112300580100.htm "'Suhana safar' with Salilda".]}} ''The Hindu''. 13 November 2004. Retrieved 13 October 2006.</ref><ref name=hindu_200511200034>Chennai, S. [http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/11/20/stories/2005112000340500.htm "Looking back: flawless harmony in his music".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107163412/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/11/20/stories/2005112000340500.htm |date= 7 November 2012}} ''The Hindu''. 20 November 2005. Retrieved 15 November 2006.</ref><ref name=archive_200611171852>Choudhury, R. 2005. [http://www.salilda.com/filmsongs/films.asp The films of Salil Chowdhury: Introduction] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061117185255/http://www.salilda.com/filmsongs/films.asp |date=17 November 2006}}. Retrieved 16 November 2006.</ref><ref name=thehindu_3752336>{{cite news |title=One of a kind |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/one-of-a-kind/article3752336.ece |work=The Hindu |date=11 August 2012 |access-date=11 August 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117184421/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/one-of-a-kind/article3752336.ece |archive-date=17 January 2016|last1=Mujumdar |first1=Neha }}</ref> Chowdhury once remarked that "[Ilaiyaraaja] is going to become the best composer in India".<ref name="One of a kind">{{cite news |title=One of a kind |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/one-of-a-kind/article3752336.ece |work=The Hindu |date=11 August 2012 |access-date=11 August 2012 |last1=Mujumdar |first1=Neha |archive-date=17 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117184421/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/one-of-a-kind/article3752336.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> "Our main guitarist in Madras is the best composer in India", he said.<ref name="Salil">{{cite news|title=Why many Ilaiyaraaja songs sound as if they emerged from a jam session with Salil Chowdhury|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/why-many-ilaiyaraaja-songs-sound-as-if-they-emerged-from-a-jam-session-with-salil-chowdhury/article23384713.ece|date=31 March 2018|access-date=22 September 2022|archive-date=19 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919050422/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/why-many-ilaiyaraaja-songs-sound-as-if-they-emerged-from-a-jam-session-with-salil-chowdhury/article23384713.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> After being hired as musical assistant to [[Kannada film]] composer [[G. K. Venkatesh]], he worked on 200 film projects, mostly in Kannada cinema.<ref name=archive_200802010240>Vijayakar, R. [http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=13039 "The prince in Mumbai".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201024013/http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=13039 |date= 1 February 2008}} ''Screen''. 21 July 2006. Retrieved 6 February 2007.</ref> As Venkatesh's assistant, Ilaiyaraaja would [[orchestration|orchestrate]] the melodic outlines developed by Venkatesh, and learn about composing under Venkatesh's guidance. During this period, Ilaiyaraaja also began to write his own scores. To listen to his compositions, he used to persuade Venkatesh's [[session musician]]s to play excerpts from his scores during their leisure times.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Session musician and film orchestrator |url=https://www.tamilselvi.com/Ilaiyaraaja-Fame.html |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=www.tamilselvi.com}}</ref>
===Film score composer===
[[File:Ilaiyaraaja at the TFPC Press Meet Held Ahead Of The ‘Ilaiyaraaja 75’ Concert.jpg|thumb|left|Ilaiyaraaja at the TFPC Press Meet]]
At the start of his career, the music sensibility of Ilaiyaraaja was very different to the film music composed in those days. Even though he spent a lot of his time learning, he "wasn't able to grasp how music was being made for films." However, in 1975 when film producer Panchu Arunachalam was impressed by a song Ilaiyaraaja casually sung, he commissioned him to compose the songs and film score for the Tamil film ''[[Annakili]]'' (1976).<ref name=hindu_200704200023>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/04/20/stories/2007042000230200.htm |___location=Chennai, India |title=Let down by screenplay—Maayakkannaadi |date=20 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109103504/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/04/20/stories/2007042000230200.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |archive-date=9 November 2012}}</ref> For the soundtrack, Ilaiyaraaja applied techniques of modern popular film music orchestration to Tamil [[folk poetry]] and [[folk song]] melodies. This resulted in creation of a fusion of Western and Tamil idioms. Initially he was little apprehensive about how his work would be received, he thought musicians in the industry may write him off. However, when ''Annakili'' released in 1976, the music became a huge hit. For his following 12 films, Ilaiyaraaja based his compositions on the contemporary film music. Later, when a new wave of films started to come, they opened the space for the kind of music he wanted to explore.<ref>Greene, P.D. 2001. "Authoring the Folk: the crafting of a rural popular music in south India". ''Journal of Intercultural Studies'' 22 (2): 161–172.</ref><ref>Sivanarayanan, A. 2004. Translating Tamil poetry. ''World Literature Today'' 78(2): 56–58.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Ilaiyaraaja interview: 'Why should filmmakers know about music creation?' |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tamil-film-composer-ilayaraaja-interview-on-his-75th-birthday/article59851815.ece |date=4 June 2018 |access-date=2022-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926210416/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/tamil-film-composer-ilayaraaja-interview-on-his-75th-birthday/article59851815.ece|archive-date=26 September 2022 |url-status=live
}}</ref>
Ilaiyaraaja's use of [[Music of Tamil Nadu|Tamil folk music]] in his film scores injected new life in the Indian film score milieu.<ref name="musicforthepeople">Baskaran, S.T. {{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070204030750/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2002/01/06/stories/2002010600150500.htm "Music for the people".]}} ''The Hindu''. 6 January 2002. Retrieved 15 November 2006.</ref> By the mid-1980s, he started gaining increasing stature as a composer and music director in the [[South Indian film]] industries.<ref name="filmmusicsouthernareap.544">Greene, P.D. 1997. Film music: Southern area. Pp. 542–546 in B. Nettl, R.M. Stone, J. Porter and T. Rice (eds.). ''The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. Volume V: South Asia—The Indian Subcontinent''. New York: Garland Pub. (p. 544).</ref> He worked with Indian poets and lyricists such as [[Kannadasan]], [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]], [[Vairamuthu]], [[O. N. V. Kurup]], [[Sreekumaran Thampi]], [[Veturi]], [[Acharya Aatreya]], [[Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry]], [[Chi. Udayashankar]] and [[Gulzar]]. Most of his compositions were sung by [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]], [[S. Janaki]] and [[K. S. Chithra]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/columns/straight-talk/2017/03/23/ilayaraja-royalty-ban-spb-tamil-songs-salim-kumar.html|title=Long Live Ilayaraja!' Salim Kumar's case for immortal music...|publisher=onmanorma|access-date=15 December 2023|archive-date=15 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215052327/https://www.onmanorama.com/news/columns/straight-talk/2017/03/23/ilayaraja-royalty-ban-spb-tamil-songs-salim-kumar.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Non-cinematic output===
[[File:Ilaiyaraaja and Vikram at the Nadigar Sangam Protest.jpg|thumb|right|Ilaiyaraaja and Vikram at the Nadigar Sangam Protest]]
Ilaiyaraaja's first two non-film albums were explorations in the fusion of Indian and Western classical music. The first, ''[[How to Name It?]]'' (1986), is dedicated to the Carnatic master [[Tyagaraja|Tyāgarāja]] and to [[Johann Sebastian Bach|J. S. Bach]]. It features a fusion of the Carnatic form and ''[[ragas]]'' with Bach [[partita]]s, [[fugue]]s and [[Baroque]] musical textures.<ref>Greene, P.D. 1997. Film music: Southern area. Pp. 542–546 in B. Nettl, R.M. Stone, J. Porter and T. Rice (eds.). ''The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. Volume V: South Asia—The Indian Subcontinent''. New York: Garland Pub. (pp. 544–545).</ref> The second, ''Nothing But Wind'' (1988), was performed by flautist [[Hariprasad Chaurasia]] and a 50-piece orchestra and takes the conceptual approach suggested in the title—that music is a "natural phenomenon akin to various forms of air currents".<ref name=archive_200611060940>Oriental Records. Undated. [http://www.orientalrecords.com/productdetails.php?id=123 Nothing But Wind] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061106094012/http://www.orientalrecords.com/productdetails.php?id=123 |date=6 November 2006}}. Retrieved 19 November 2006.</ref>
He has composed a set of Carnatic ''[[Kriti (music)|kritis]]'' which were recorded by electric mandolinist [[U. Srinivas]] for the album ''Ilayaraaja's Classicals on the Mandolin'' (1994). Ilaiyaraaja has also composed albums of religious/[[Bhakti|devotional]] songs. His ''Guru Ramana Geetam'' (2004) is a cycle of prayer songs inspired by the Hindu mystic [[Ramana Maharshi]], and his ''[[Thiruvasakam]]: A crossover'' (2005) is an [[oratorio]] of ancient Tamil poems transcribed partially in English by American lyricist [[Stephen Schwartz (composer)|Stephen Schwartz]] and performed by the [[Budapest Symphony Orchestra]].<ref name=hinduonnet_200507290041>Viswanathan, S. 2005. {{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070707012650/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2215/stories/20050729004110200.htm A cultural crossover]}}. ''Frontline'' 22 (15), 16–29 July. Retrieved 13 October 2006.</ref><ref name=hinduonnet_200411260303>Parthasarathy, D. 2004. {{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20071016115605/http://hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2004/11/26/stories/2004112603032000.htm Thiruvasagam in 'classical crossover']}}. The Hindu, Friday, 26 November. Retrieved 1 March 2007.</ref> His most recent release is a world music-oriented album called ''The Music Messiah'' (2006).<ref name=hindu_200612300600>Soman, S. 2006. [http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/30/stories/2006123006000200.htm 'The Music Messiah'] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105090625/http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/30/stories/2006123006000200.htm |date=5 January 2007}}. The Hindu, Saturday, 30 December. Retrieved 27 February 2007.</ref> In 2025, he composed his first English classical symphony “Valiant”, performed by [[Royal Scottish National Orchestra]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw0zz6SRVJk |title=Ilaiyaraaja Symphony No. 1 - (Valiant) - BTS Video - Maestro Ilaiyaraaja - Mercuri |date=2025-01-24 |last=Mercuri Live |access-date=2025-02-03 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
In May 2020, he composed a song titled ''Bharath Bhoomi'', as tribute to the people working amid [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name=thehindu_31709650>{{Cite news|author=The Hindu Net Desk|date=30 May 2020|title=Ilaiyaraaja and SPB join hands for 'Bharath Bhoomi'|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraajas-tribute-song-on-covid-19/article31709650.ece|access-date=2 June 2020|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=29 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629064035/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraajas-tribute-song-on-covid-19/article31709650.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The song was crooned by [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam|S. P Balasubrahmanyam]] and the video of the song was unveiled by Ilaiyaraaja on his YouTube channel on 30 May 2020, in Tamil and Hindi.<ref name=deccanchronicle_310520>{{Cite web|date=31 May 2020|title=A song of tribute: Ilayaraja's salute to COVID-19 warriors|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/310520/a-song-of-tribute-ilayarajas-salute-to-covid-19-warriors.html|access-date=2 June 2020|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en|archive-date=14 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814093713/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/310520/a-song-of-tribute-ilayarajas-salute-to-covid-19-warriors.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=newindianexpress_2149984>{{Cite web|title=Maestro Ilaiyaraaja pays tribute to COVID-19 warriors, releases song sung by SPB|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2020/may/30/maestro-ilaiyaraaja-pays-tribute-to-covid-19-warriors-releases-song-sung-by-spb-2149984.html|access-date=2 June 2020|website=The New Indian Express|date=30 May 2020 |archive-date=19 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819230248/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2020/may/30/maestro-ilaiyaraaja-pays-tribute-to-covid-19-warriors-releases-song-sung-by-spb-2149984.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
On his birthday in 2020, Ilaiyaraaja announced the upcoming launch of his 'Isai OTT' [[Mobile app|app]]. He stated that the app would contain much more than just his songs, like behind-the-scenes trivia about how each song was conceived, produced, and delivered, as well as collaborations with other musicians.<ref name=thehindu_31734573>{{Cite news|date=2 June 2020|title=Ilaiyaraaja to launch OTT app soon|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/ilaiyaraaja-to-launch-ott-app-soon/article31734573.ece|access-date=30 June 2020|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=2 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702140910/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/ilaiyaraaja-to-launch-ott-app-soon/article31734573.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>
Ilaiyaraaja's song 'Naanthaan Ungappanda' from the 1981 film ''[[Ram Lakshman (film)|Ram Lakshman]]'' was part of the playlist for the opening ceremony of the [[2012 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-01-15 |title=Ilayaraja song for london Olympics |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/ilayaraja-song-for-london-olympics/articleshow/14319043.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-02-11 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-06-20 |title=Lesser-known Ilayaraja number at Olympics opener |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/lesserknown-ilayaraja-number-at-olympics-opener/article3547902.ece |access-date=2024-02-11 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=23 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123133348/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/lesserknown-ilayaraja-number-at-olympics-opener/article3547902.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>
His compositions ''Paayum Puli Title Music'' and ''Ilamai Itho'' were part of the soundtrack of [[Ashim Ahluwalia]]'s 2012 [[Cannes Film Festival]] entry, ''[[Miss Lovely]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sweetsoundtrack.com/Movies/Miss-Lovely-2012|title=Songs from Miss Lovely|website=sweetsoundtrack.com|access-date=31 May 2021|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213326/http://sweetsoundtrack.com/Movies/Miss-Lovely-2012|url-status=live}}</ref> [[The Lovebirds (2020 film)|''The Lovebirds'']] (2020) incorporated a section of Ilaiyaraaja's "Oru kili" soundtrack composed for the movie ''[[Aanandha Kummi]]'' (1983) as background music in its official trailer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzPq8uVgLe8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211218/YzPq8uVgLe8 |archive-date=2021-12-18 |url-status=live|title=The Lovebirds (2020) – Official Trailer|date=16 January 2020 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
[[The Black Eyed Peas]] sampled the Ilaiyaraaja's composition "Unakkum Ennakum" from ''Sri Raghavendra'' (1985) for the song "The Elephunk Theme" in ''[[Elephunk]]'' (2003).<ref name=hindu_200710175053>Mehar, R. 2007. [http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/17/stories/2007101750530200.htm Hip-hopping around the world] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316003456/http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/17/stories/2007101750530200.htm |date=16 March 2008}}. The Hindu, 17 October. Retrieved 14 March 2008.</ref>
Ilaiyaraaja's song "Mella Mella Ennaithottu" from [[Vaazhkai (1949 film)|Vaazhkai]] was sampled by Rabbit Mac in the song ''Sempoi''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/Rabbit-Mac/Sempoi/|title=Sempoi by Rabbit Mac|website=[[WhoSampled]]|access-date=2022-09-21|archive-date=21 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921125812/https://www.whosampled.com/Rabbit-Mac/Sempoi/|url-status=live}}</ref> Popular American rapper [[Meek Mill]] sampled one of Ilaiyaraaja's hit songs for ''Indian Bounce''.
The alternative artist [[M.I.A. (artist)|M.I.A.]] sampled "Kaatukuyilu" from the film ''Thalapathi'' (1991) for her song "Bamboo Banga" on the album ''[[Kala (album)|Kala]]'' (2007).<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Christgau |first=Robert |date=2007-08-23 |title=Kala |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/kala-248078/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>
Alphant sampled Ilaiyaraaja's music for his song ''An Indian Dream''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.soundcloud.com/alphant/an-indian-dream|title=Alphant – An Indian Dream (Original Mix)|access-date=2022-09-21|archive-date=21 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921140800/https://m.soundcloud.com/alphant/an-indian-dream|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Gonjasufi]] sampled Ilaiyaraaja's "Yeh Hawa Yeh Fiza" from the movie ''[[Sadma]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GonjaSufi's 'Sheep' sample of Asha Bhosle and Suresh Wadkar's 'Yeh Hawa Yeh Fiza' |url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/58292/GonjaSufi-Sheep-Asha-Bhosle-Suresh-Wadkar-Yeh-Hawa-Yeh-Fiza/ |access-date=18 May 2024 |website=WhoSampled}}</ref>
===Live performances===
[[File:Maestro Ilayaraaja with fellow musicians.jpg|thumb|left|Ilaiyaraaja at the inauguration of 91st Music Academy Concerts & Conferences]]
Ilaiyaraaja rarely performs his music live. His first major live performance since his debut was a four-hour concert held at the [[Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai|Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium]] in Chennai, India, on 16 October 2005.<ref name=hinduonnet_200510210014>Rangarajan, M. {{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20060910163021/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fr/2005/10/21/stories/2005102100140200.htm "The Raja still reigns supreme".]}} ''The Hindu''. 21 October 2005. Retrieved 13 October 2006.</ref> He performed in 2004 in Italy at the Teatro Comunale di Modena, an event-concert presented for the 14th edition of Angelica, Festival Internazionale Di Musica, co-produced with the L'Altro Suono Festival.<ref name=archive_200709280227>Van Ryssen, S. [http://leonardo.info/reviews/dec2005/llaiy_ryssen.html "Ilaiyaraaja's Musical Journey".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928022757/http://leonardo.info/reviews/dec2005/llaiy_ryssen.html |date=28 September 2007}} ''Leonardo Digital Review''. December 2005. Retrieved 7 March 2007.</ref>
A television retrospective titled ''Ithu Ilaiyaraja'' ("This is Ilaiyaraja") was produced, chronicling his career.<ref name=archive_200507010242>[http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/07/01/stories/2005070102420400.htm "Ithu Ilaiyaraja".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001045314/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/07/01/stories/2005070102420400.htm |date= 1 October 2007}} ''The Hindu''. 1 July 2005. Retrieved 13 October 2006.</ref> He last performed live at the audio release function of the film ''[[Dhoni (film)|Dhoni]]'' and before that, he performed a programme that was conducted and telecasted by Jaya TV titled ''Enrendrum Raja'' ("Everlasting Raja") on 28 December 2011 at Jahawarlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai.
On 5 September 2012, Ilayaraja performed in a live concert in Chennai with the [[Hungarian National Philharmonic]] orchestra; during this event the music launch of his films ''[[Neethaane En Ponvasantham]]'' and ''[[Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu]]'' took place.<ref name=ibs>{{Cite web|date=2012-09-05|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/news/functions/concert-ilayaraja2012.html|title=Ilayaraja concert and Yeto Velli Poyindi music launch – idle brain|website=idlebrain.com|access-date=2023-06-03|archive-date=3 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603170445/https://www.idlebrain.com/news/functions/concert-ilayaraja2012.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 23 September 2012, he performed live in [[Bangalore]] at National High School Grounds.
On 16 February 2013, Ilayaraja made his first appearance in North America performing at the [[Rogers Centre]] in Toronto, Canada.<ref name="archive_201303011341">Trinity Events [http://www.trinityeventsonline.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301134143/http://www.trinityeventsonline.com/|date=1 March 2013}} Retrieved 24 February 2013.</ref> The Toronto concert was promoted by Trinity Events for Vijay TV in India and produced by Sandy Audio Visual SAV Productions with PA+. Following his show at Toronto, Ilaiyaraaja also performed at the [[Prudential Center]] Newark, New Jersey, on 23 February 2013 and at the [[HP Pavilion at San Jose]] on 1{{nbsp}}March 2013. After his North America tour, he made a live performance at [[The O2 Arena]] in London on 24 August 2013, along with [[Kamal Haasan]] and his sons [[Yuvan Shankar Raja]] and [[Karthik Raja]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theo2.co.uk/event/ilaiyaraaja-20130825.html |title=Ilaiyaraaja's live concert – Raja the Raja |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213232218/http://www.theo2.co.uk/event/ilaiyaraaja-20130825.html |archive-date=13 December 2013 |access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref>
==Musical style and sensibility==
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Ilaiyaraaja, once reflecting over his works after turning seventy-five, said his "life experiences and learning" have been the fount from which his musical output poured, but sometimes felt that some of his compositions transcended them as if they were "the reflection of the efforts of past lives — mine, or those of other musical exponents." When enquired if it was mystical as in the case of mathematical genius [[Srinivasa Ramanujan]], who insisted he received math formula in [[dreams]] from a goddess, Ilaiyaraaja said that unlike Ramanujan who felt a supernatural being guiding him, he always felt a moment of clarity when a composition came to his mind — "It is as if I am the subject and the object of art at the same time when that happens," he said.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/ilaiyaraaja-the-maestro-who-hears-unheard-melodies/article24062128.ece
|title=Ilaiyaraaja, the maestro who hears unheard melodies |work=The Hindu |date=2 June 2018 |access-date=2022-09-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005073013/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/ilaiyaraaja-the-maestro-who-hears-unheard-melodies/article24062128.ece |archive-date=5 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, he regards music as a form of spiritual seeking, where one needs to keep their "inner eye constantly open", but also assist it with vigorous work, "In my early years, I would be in the studio till 11 pm. Come home, have bath and dinner, and write music till 2 am. I would wake up by 4, sit down to do my music and be at the studio at sharp 7 am. Music is everything to me. Do you know it took me 27 years to understand the C [[major chord]] on the piano", he said.<ref name=India/>
Ilaiyaraaja uses the same [[harmonium]], both in his studio and in concerts. He has scored with it throughout his career. When he was younger, he was never allowed to touch it by his brother who thought he would spoil it. However, Ilaiyaraaja would play with it whenever his brother was not there, "that's how I learnt how to play," he said, "the harmonium knows that it was made for me. It tells me that there is more music to be made."<ref name="musicreligion"/> The harmonium was reportedly bought for eighty-five rupees.<ref name="ibs"/>
Ilaiyaraaja's musical style is characterised by an orchestration which is a synthesis of [[Indian folk music]] and Western classical music, with traditional [[Indian instruments]] and [[Mode (music)|modes]]. He uses electronic music technology that integrates synthesizers, electric guitars and [[Electronic keyboard|keyboards]], drum machines, rhythm boxes and [[MIDI]] with large orchestras that feature traditional instruments such as the ''[[veena]]'', ''[[venu]]'', ''[[nadaswaram]]'', ''[[dholak]]'', ''[[mridangam]]'' and ''[[tabla]]'' as well as Western lead instruments such as saxophones and flutes.<ref name="filmmusicsouthernareap.544" /> When asked to explain what his music is, Ilaiyaraaja said, "How can I explain anything? Everyone’s music is made of their own life experiences. To me music is that which connects human hearts. It is something that takes you to unknown levels."<ref name="India"/>
[[File:Music Maestro Ilayaraja speaking after receiving the centenary award at the inauguration of the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2015), in Panaji, Goa. The Union Minister for Finance.jpg|thumb|Ilaiyaraaja speaking after receiving the centenary award at the [[46th International Film Festival of India]] (IFFI-2015), in [[Panaji, Goa]]|left]]
On numerous occasions, Ilaiyaraaja has credited [[M. S. Viswanathan]] as an overwhelming influence on his music.<ref name="Salil"/> "I could be a music director only by closely watching and listening to the great techniques introduced by M.S. Viswanthan in film music", he said. Ilaiyaraaja first played the organ for the song ''Malar Ethu Kankal Than'' in the film [[Avalukendru Or Manam]] for MSV. He later worked on composing background music for few of his films.<ref name="MSV">{{cite news |last1=Kolappanand |first1=B. |title=I owe it to MSV, says Ilayaraja |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/i-owe-it-to-msv-says-ilayaraja/article7427233.ece |access-date=3 June 2025 |publisher=The Hindu |date=16 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216042542/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/i-owe-it-to-msv-says-ilayaraja/article7427233.ece |archive-date=16 December 2024}}</ref> Along with M.S. Viswanthan, he called [[Naushad]], [[Roshan (music director)|Roshan]], [[Madan Mohan]], and [[G.K. Venkatesh]] among several others, as the "great masters".<ref name=India>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/theres-india-in-his-music/article24094187.ece|title=There's India in Ilaiyaraja's music|first=Deepa|last=Ganesh|date=6 June 2018|work=The Hindu|access-date=30 April 2021|archive-date=7 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607184950/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/theres-india-in-his-music/article24094187.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Lata Mangeshkar]] and [[S. Janaki]] had been the singers with whom he experimented his songs relentlessly.<ref name="Salil"/>
Ilaiyaraaja is nicknamed "Isaignani" (the musical sage), a title conferred by Kalaignar Karunanidhi. He is often referred to as "Maestro", the title conferred by the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]], London.<ref name="huffingtonpost.in"/> He was one of the earliest Indian film composers to use Western classical music harmonies and string arrangements in Indian film music.<ref name="filmmusicthenewinterculturalidiomp.110" /> This allowed him to craft a rich tapestry of sounds for films, and his themes and background score gained notice and appreciation among Indian film audiences.<ref>Venkatraman, S. 1995. "Film music: the new intercultural idiom of 20th century Indian music". pp. 107–112 in A. Euba and C.T. Kimberlin (eds.). ''Intercultural Music Vol. I''. Bayreuth: Breitinger (p. 111).</ref> The range of expressive possibilities in Indian film music was broadened by his methodical approach to arranging, recording technique, and his drawing of ideas from a diversity of musical styles.<ref name="filmmusicthenewinterculturalidiomp.110" />
According to musicologist Paul Greene, Ilaiyaraaja's "deep understanding of so many different styles of music allowed him to create syncretic pieces of music combining very different musical idioms in unified, coherent musical statements".<ref name="filmmusicsouthernareap.544" /> By virtue of this variety and his intermingling of Western, Indian folk and [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] elements, Ilaiyaraaja's compositions appeal to the Indian rural dweller for its [[rhythm]]ic folk qualities, the Indian classical music enthusiast for the employment of Carnatic ''[[ragas]]'', and the urbanite for its modern, Western-music sound.<ref>Greene, P.D. 1997. Film music: Southern area. Pp. 542–546 in B. Nettl, R.M. Stone, J. Porter and T. Rice (eds.). ''The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. Volume V: South Asia—The Indian Subcontinent''. New York: Garland Pub. (p. 545).</ref> His sense of visualisation for composing music is always to match up with the movie storyline and help the audience feel the emotions flavoured through his musical score. He mastered this art of blending music to the narration, which very few others managed to adapt themselves over a longer time.<ref name="musical_man">S. Theodore Baskaran [http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?231674 "Jnana To Gana: Consistent eclecticism has kept Tamil film music virile"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116115029/http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?231674 |date=16 November 2010}}. Outlookindia.com, 26 June 2006.</ref> Although he uses a range of complex compositional techniques, he often sketches out the basic melodic ideas for films in a very spontaneous fashion.<ref name="Ilaiyarajacomposerasphenomenon" /><ref name="filmmusicsouthernareap.544" />
== Honours and legacy ==
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Ilaiyaraaja}}
[[File:He President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Padma Vibhushan Award to Shri Illaiyaraja.JPG|thumb|Ilaiyaraaja receiving the [[Padma Vibhushan]] from President [[Ram Nath Kovind]]]]
In 2010, Ilaiyaraaja was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]], the third-highest civilian honour in India and the [[Padma Vibhushan]] in 2018, the second-highest [[Indian honours system|civilian award]] by the government of [[Republic of India|India]].<ref>{{cite news|date=25 January 2018|title=Ilaiyaraaja gets Padma Vibhushan|website=Behindwoods.com|url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/ilayaraja-gets-padma-vibhushan-award.html|access-date=25 January 2018|archive-date=26 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126125652/https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/ilayaraja-gets-padma-vibhushan-award.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="news18_1642129">{{Cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/award-shows-modi-govt-respects-tamil-people-a-lot-ilayaraja-on-getting-padma-vibhushan-1642129.html|title=Award Shows Modi Govt Respects Tamil People a Lot: Ilayaraja on Getting Padma Vibhushan|date=25 January 2018|website=news18.com|access-date=7 June 2021|archive-date=7 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607184952/https://www.news18.com/news/india/award-shows-modi-govt-respects-tamil-people-a-lot-ilayaraja-on-getting-padma-vibhushan-1642129.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 6 July 2022, Ilaiyaraaja was nominated to the [[Rajya Sabha]] as Member of Parliament by the President of India, [[Ram Nath Kovind]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhandari |first=Shashwat |date=6 July 2022 |title=Celebrated athlete PT Usha, Philanthropist Veerendra Heggade among 4 nominated for Rajya Sabha |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/pt-usha-ilaiyaraaja-veerendra-heggade-vijayendra-prasad-garu-nominated-for-rajya-sabha-modi-congratulates-2022-07-06-790172 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=www.indiatvnews.com |language=en |archive-date=6 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706154659/https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/pt-usha-ilaiyaraaja-veerendra-heggade-vijayendra-prasad-garu-nominated-for-rajya-sabha-modi-congratulates-2022-07-06-790172 |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred an honorary doctorate to Ilaiyaraaja during the 36th Convocation Ceremony of [[Gandhigram Rural Institute]] in Tamil Nadu's [[Dindigul]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tamil-nadu-pm-modi-presents-honorary-doctorate-to-music-maestro-ilaiyaraaja-2296175-2022-11-11 |title=PM Modi confers honorary doctorate to music maestro Ilaiyaraaja |date=11 November 2022 |access-date=15 December 2023 |archive-date=24 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124115607/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tamil-nadu-pm-modi-presents-honorary-doctorate-to-music-maestro-ilaiyaraaja-2296175-2022-11-11 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Ilaiyaraaja has been awarded five [[National Film Awards]]—three for [[National Film Award for Best Music Direction|Best Music Direction]] and two for Best Background Score.<ref name="Valiant"/><ref name="archive_200704181746">Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India. 2006. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070418174624/http://mib.nic.in/dff/welcome.html|date=18 April 2007|title=Directorate of Film Festivals}}. Archived from [http://mib.nic.in/dff/welcome.html the original] on 18 April 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2006.</ref> In 2012, he received the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]], the highest Indian recognition given to practising artists, for his creative and experimental works in the music field.<ref name="thehindu_4234942">{{cite web|agency=Press Trust of India|date=24 December 2012|title=Ilayaraja gets Sangeet Natak Akademi award|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/ilayaraja-gets-sangeet-natak-akademi-award/article4234942.ece|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330161248/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/ilayaraja-gets-sangeet-natak-akademi-award/article4234942.ece|archive-date=30 March 2013|access-date=12 April 2013|work=The Hindu}}</ref> He is a gold medalist in classical guitar from [[Trinity College of Music]], London.<ref name="Valiant"/> In 2013, when the Indian news channel [[CNN-IBN]] conducted a poll commemorating 100 years of Indian cinema, he secured 49% of the people's vote and was adjudged as the country's greatest music composer; [[A. R. Rahman]] stood second with 29% of the vote.<ref name="indiatimes_37560912" />
Ilaiyaraaja is reputed to be one of the world's most prolific composers.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 May 2016 |title=Award Winning Composer ilayaraja's Film Soundtrack Released : Love and Love Only Film Score Available Ahead of Indian-Australian Film Debut—The Indian Telegraph |url=http://theindiantelegraph.com.au/award-winning-composer-ilayarajas-film-soundtrack-released-love-and-love-only-film-score-available-ahead-of-indian-australian-film-debut/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507003435/http://theindiantelegraph.com.au/award-winning-composer-ilayarajas-film-soundtrack-released-love-and-love-only-film-score-available-ahead-of-indian-australian-film-debut/ |archive-date=7 May 2018 |access-date=6 May 2018 |website=theindiantelegraph.com.au}}</ref> He composed more than 8,600 songs, provided film scores for about 1,523 movies in nine languages,<ref name="Valiant"/> and performed in over 20,000 concerts. He is the only musician to have composed a song only in ascending notes.<ref name="hindustantimes.com">{{cite web |date=13 March 2018 |title=Ilayaraja performs for the first time in Houston |work=Hindustan Times |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/music/ilayaraja-performs-for-the-first-time-in-houston/story-kP8qfMJIhlJEsiFxyLZMVM.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412103314/https://www.hindustantimes.com/music/ilayaraja-performs-for-the-first-time-in-houston/story-kP8qfMJIhlJEsiFxyLZMVM.html |archive-date=12 April 2018 |access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="Baskaran2009">{{cite book |last=Baskaran |first=Sundararaj Theodore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNgqAQAAIAAJ |title=History through the lens: perspectives on South Indian cinema |date=1 January 2009 |publisher=Orient Blackswan |isbn=978-81-250-3520-6 |page=82 |access-date=1 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107175235/http://books.google.com/books?id=fNgqAQAAIAAJ |archive-date=7 January 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Das2010">{{cite book |author=Emmanuel Anthony Das |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=05oSduutr-IC&pg=RA2-PA7 |title=The Bestconferred is Yet to Be |date=1 September 2010 |publisher=Pustak Mahal |isbn=978-81-223-1144-0 |page=7 |access-date=1 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621193918/http://books.google.com/books?id=05oSduutr-IC&pg=RA2-PA7 |archive-date=21 June 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> He was one of the earliest Indian film composers to use Western classical music harmonies and string arrangements in Tamil film music.<ref name="filmmusicthenewinterculturalidiomp.110" />
He composed the score and soundtrack for the 1984 [[Malayalam]]-language film ''[[My Dear Kuttichathan]]'', the first stereoscopic 3D film made in India.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/jijo-and-his-3d-dream-that-resulted-in-my-dear-kuttichathan/article23415321.ece|title=Jijo and his 3D dream that resulted in 'My Dear Kuttichathan|work=The Hindu|date=2 April 2018|access-date=21 September 2022|last1=Chelangad|first1=Saju|archive-date=14 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114163829/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/jijo-and-his-3d-dream-that-resulted-in-my-dear-kuttichathan/article23415321.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1986, he became the first Indian composer to record a soundtrack with computer for the film ''[[Vikram (1986 Tamil film)|Vikram]]''.<ref name="m.behindwoods.com" /> He composed the soundtrack for the movie ''[[Nayakan]]'' (1987), an Indian film which was ranked by [[Time (magazine)|''Time'']] magazine as one of the all-time 100 best movies.<ref>TIME Magazine. 2005. [http://www.time.com/time/2005/100movies/0, 23220, nayakan, 00.html All-TIME 100 Movies]{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. Retrieved 13 October 2006.</ref> Director [[R. K. Selvamani]] said that for his film ''[[Chembaruthi]]'' (1992), Ilaiyaraaja composed nine songs in just 45 minutes which is a record.<ref name=thenewsminute_20190108>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ilaiyaraaja-75-tribute-music-icon-be-held-feb-2-and-3-chennai-94684|title='Ilaiyaraaja 75': A tribute to the music icon to be held on Feb 2 and 3 in Chennai|date=8 January 2019|website=The News Minute|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-date=5 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190205034939/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ilaiyaraaja-75-tribute-music-icon-be-held-feb-2-and-3-chennai-94684|url-status=live}}</ref> Actor [[Rajnikanth]] said Ilaiyaraaja used to complete the [[Re-recording (filmmaking)|re-recording]] of three films in a single day without any sleep, whereas the present-day generation composers take 30 days for a single film.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ilayaraja 75: AR Rahman, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth attend celebration of legendary composer's illustrious career|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/ilayaraja-75-ar-rahman-kamal-haasan-rajinikanth-attend-celebration-of-legendary-composers-illustrious-career-6030541.html|publisher=Firstpost|date=5 February 2019|access-date=9 November 2020|archive-date=20 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120134700/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/ilayaraja-75-ar-rahman-kamal-haasan-rajinikanth-attend-celebration-of-legendary-composers-illustrious-career-6030541.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
On March 9, 2025, Ilaiyaraaja became the first-ever Indian, as well as Asian film composer to compose, record, and perform live a full Western classical [[symphony]] in London.<ref name="Valiant" /><ref name="Valiant1" /> He had reportedly written the entire symphony in 34 days.<ref name="Valiant" /><ref name="youtube.com">{{cite web |date=19 October 2015 |title=Mr.Viji Manuel talks about Symphony by Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja |url=https://youtube.com/watch/fFPjQlXXaio |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430182824/https://www.youtube.com/watch/fFPjQlXXaio |archive-date=30 April 2021 |access-date=20 October 2015 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref name="thehindu_200211220228">{{cite web |title=The Hindu : Ilayaraja's books |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/lf/2002/11/22/stories/2002112202280200.htm |website=The Hindu}}</ref> He also composed and orchestrated the critically acclaimed ''[[Thiruvasakam in Symphony]]'' (2006), the first Indian [[oratorio]].<ref name="finndian.com" /> With his illustrious work over decades, Ilaiyaraaja made a deep influence on the cultural landscape of Southern India.<ref name="Valiant1"/>
Achille Forler, board member of the Indian Performing Right Society, said in 2017, "the kind of stellar body of work that Ilaiyaraaja has created in the last 40 years should have placed him among the world's top 10 richest composers, somewhere between [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]] ($1.2 billion) and [[Mick Jagger]] (over $300 million)."<ref name="thehindu_17682511">{{cite web|last=Forler|first=Achille|date=28 March 2017|title=My songs, my royalties|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/ilaiyaraaja-sp-balasubrahmanyan-royalty-issue-my-songs-my-royalties/article17682511.ece|work=The Hindu|access-date=7 April 2018|archive-date=27 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327212414/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/ilaiyaraaja-sp-balasubrahmanyan-royalty-issue-my-songs-my-royalties/article17682511.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>
British musician [[Andy Votel]], described Ilaiyaraaja in an essay thus, "Whatever "genre" of music you choose to like/ love/ promote/ protect/ politicise/ over-intellectualize/ despise/ defend or pretend to enjoy, Ilaiyaraaja has done it."<ref name="Salil" /> Carnatic vocalist [[T. M. Krishna]] stated that no other film composer has displayed the broad range of understanding music like the way Ilaiyaraaja did, and the way he adapts himself and creates music is "unfathomable" making him the "absolute master".<ref>{{cite web|title=An Artiste of the Millennium: Ilaiyaraaja at 75|url=https://m.thewire.in/article/the-arts/an-artiste-of-the-millennium-ilaiyaraaja-at-75|publisher=The Wire|date=10 September 2018|access-date=15 September 2022|archive-date=15 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915113344/https://m.thewire.in/article/the-arts/an-artiste-of-the-millennium-ilaiyaraaja-at-75|url-status=live}}</ref> [[G. K. Venkatesh]], one of the earliest mentors of Ilaiyaraaja, remarked on his success thus: "He is not in awe of his creations. That is the secret of his success. An Ilaiyaraja song is overshadowed only by another Ilaiyaraja song."<ref name="India"/>
Ilaiyaraaja's soundtrack for the 1991 film ''[[Thalapathi]]'' was included in ''[[The Guardian]]''{{'}}s ''100 Albums to Hear Before You Die''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=100 Best Albums Ever |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/guardian100.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813104430/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/guardian100.htm |archive-date=13 August 2017 |access-date=3 February 2010 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> In 2003, according to an international poll conducted by [[BBC]] of more than half-a million people from 165 countries, his composition "[[Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu]]" from ''Thalapathi'' was voted fourth in the top 10 most popular songs of all time.<ref name="archive_201503300739">{{cite web |title=THE WORLD'S TOP TEN |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/us/features/topten/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330073900/http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/us/features/topten/ |archive-date=30 March 2015 |access-date=7 June 2021 |website=BBC World Service.com}}</ref> Cinematographer [[Santosh Sivan]] said that Ilaiyaraaja finished composing for the entire soundtrack of the film ''Thalapathi'' in less than "half a day".{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=140}}
During the recording for the song "Sundari" from the movie ''Thalapathi'' in Mumbai with [[R.D. Burman]]'s orchestra, when Ilaiyaraaja gave the notes, they were so moved and taken in by the composition that all the musicians put their hands together in awe and gave him a standing ovation as a mark of respect.<ref name=thehindu_200510210014>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/10/21/stories/2005102100140200.htm |title=The Raja still reigns supreme |date=21 October 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831055436/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/10/21/stories/2005102100140200.htm |archive-date=31 August 2015 |url-status=dead |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=17 July 2015}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
Ilaiyaraaja was married to Jeeva, and the couple has three children—[[Karthik Raja]], [[Bhavatharini]] and [[Yuvan Shankar Raja]]—all of them are film composers and singers.<ref name=hindu_200701130159>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2007/01/13/stories/2007011301591200.htm |title=Music from the past |website=The Hindu.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107163353/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2007/01/13/stories/2007011301591200.htm |archive-date=7 November 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref><ref name=hindu_200508050167>Staff reporter. [http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/05/stories/2005080501670200.htm "Ilaiyaraja's daughter gets engaged".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429073520/http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/05/stories/2005080501670200.htm |date=29 April 2007}} ''The Hindu''. 5 August 2005. Retrieved 3 March 2007.</ref> Jeeva died on 31 October 2011.<ref name=thehindu_2587916>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article2587916.ece |___location=Chennai, India |work=The Hindu |title=Music maestro Ilayaraja's wife passes away |date=1 November 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210151421/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article2587916.ece |archive-date=10 December 2011}}</ref> His brother, [[Gangai Amaran]], is also a music director and lyricist in the Tamil film industry, and both were not on talking terms for 13 years until they met in February 2022.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/musical-brothers-ilaiyaraaja-and-gangai-amaren-reunite-after-13-years/articleshow/89633355.cms|title=Musical brothers Ilaiyaraaja and Gangai Amaren reunite after 13 years|website=The Times of India|access-date=4 May 2022|archive-date=4 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504113825/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/musical-brothers-ilaiyaraaja-and-gangai-amaren-reunite-after-13-years/articleshow/89633355.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> His only daughter Bhavatharini died of liver cancer on 25 January 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ilaiyaraaja's daughter and playback singer Bhavatharini dies of cancer |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/ilaiyaraajas-daughter-and-playback-singer-bhavatharini-dies-of-cancer-2493685-2024-01-25 |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=India Today |date=25 January 2024 |language=en |archive-date=25 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125155226/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/ilaiyaraajas-daughter-and-playback-singer-bhavatharini-dies-of-cancer-2493685-2024-01-25 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Ilaiyaraaja regards the Tamil Hindu sage [[Ramana Maharshi]] as his spiritual guru.<ref name=India/>
==Legal issues and controversies==
[[File:Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Ilaiyaraaja At The Nadigar Sangam Protest.jpg|thumb|Ilaiyaraaja (center) with [[Kamal Haasan]] (left) and [[Rajinikanth]] (right) at the [[Nadigar Sangam]] Protest in 2018]]
In 2017, claiming copyright violations, Ilaiyaraaja sent legal notices to singers, [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam|S. P Balasubrahmanyam]], his son [[S. P. Charan]] and [[K. S. Chithra|Chithra]], prohibiting them from singing his compositions without his consent, and warned they would have to pay huge [[royalties]] and face legal action if they do so.<ref name=hindustantimes_20170320>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/music/illayaraja-s-legal-notice-to-spb-sp-balasubrahmanyam-says-he-will-obey-the-law/story-hulhkHFbDsrOBOu3kiu1EN.html |title=Illayaraja's legal notice to SPB: SP Balasubrahmanyam says he will obey the law |work=Hindustan Times |date=20 March 2017 |access-date=31 May 2017 |archive-date=24 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524181700/http://www.hindustantimes.com/music/illayaraja-s-legal-notice-to-spb-sp-balasubrahmanyam-says-he-will-obey-the-law/story-hulhkHFbDsrOBOu3kiu1EN.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Ilaiyaraaja's brother Gangai Amaran criticized him, saying legal notice to SPB is 'foolishness'.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/gangai-amaran-slams-brother-ilaiyaraaja-says-legal-notice-spb-foolishness-58886 | title=Gangai Amaran slams brother Ilaiyaraaja, says legal notice to SPB is 'foolishness' | date=20 March 2017 | access-date=4 May 2022 | archive-date=20 May 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520140613/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/gangai-amaran-slams-brother-ilaiyaraaja-says-legal-notice-spb-foolishness-58886 | url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2018, during a talk show in the US, Ilaiyaraaja expressed his doubts regarding the credibility of the Christian belief in the [[Resurrection of Jesus|Resurrection of Jesus Christ]] and claimed that resurrection happened only in the case of the Hindu saint [[Ramana Maharshi]]. In protest, a Christian group lodged a complaint with the Police Commissioner of Trichy, demanding an apology or police action against Ilaiyaraaja for raising doubt about the "ultimate belief of Christians".<ref>{{cite news|title=Christ remark: Plaint filed against Ilayaraja|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/christ-remark-plaint-filed-against-ilayaraja/articleshow/63523573.cms|date=29 March 2018|access-date=22 September 2022|archive-date=15 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315085146/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/christ-remark-plaint-filed-against-ilayaraja/articleshow/63523573.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>
In early 2022, talking about the state of music composers in industry, Ilaiyaraaja said, "There are no composers in the film industry today; there are only programmers."<ref>{{cite news|title=Ilaiyaraaja: 'There are no composers today, only programmers'|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraaja-no-composers-today-only-programmers/article65230243.ece|date=16 March 2022|access-date=22 September 2022|archive-date=22 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922055454/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/ilaiyaraaja-no-composers-today-only-programmers/article65230243.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>
In April 2022, Ilaiyaraaja triggered a controversy by writing a foreword in the book titled, "Ambedkar & Modi—Reformer's Ideas", in which he praised the Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] and compared him to [[B.R. Ambedkar]]. When he received some criticism, leaders from [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] came to his support.<ref>{{cite news|title=The sound of criticism: How Ilaiyaraaja's comparison of Ambedkar and Modi triggered a political row|publisher=Firstpost|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/the-sound-of-criticism-how-ilaiyaraajas-comparison-of-ambedkar-and-modi-triggered-a-political-row-10572601.html|date=19 April 2022|access-date=22 September 2022|archive-date=22 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922130557/https://www.firstpost.com/india/the-sound-of-criticism-how-ilaiyaraajas-comparison-of-ambedkar-and-modi-triggered-a-political-row-10572601.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Discography==
{{Main|Ilaiyaraaja discography}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| [[List of film scores by Ilaiyaraaja 1970s|Ilaiyaraaja 1970s]]
| [[List of film scores by Ilaiyaraaja 1980s|Ilaiyaraaja 1980s]]
| [[List of film scores by Ilaiyaraaja 1990s|Ilaiyaraaja 1990s]]
| [[List of film scores by Ilaiyaraaja 2000s|Ilaiyaraaja 2000s]]
| [[List of film scores by Ilaiyaraaja 2010s|Ilaiyaraaja 2010s]]
| [[List of film scores by Ilaiyaraaja 2020s|Ilaiyaraaja 2020s]]
| [[Ilaiyaraaja discography|New / Non-Film]]
|}
==See also==
* [[List of songs recorded by Ilaiyaraaja]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite book |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |title=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |title-link=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-14-342111-5 |___location=New Delhi |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |orig-date=2012}}
{{Refend}}
==Further reading==
{{refbegin|2}}
*Prem-Ramesh. 1998 ''Ilaiyaraja: Isaiyin Thathuvamum Alagiyalum'' (trans.: Ilaiyaraja: The Philosophy and Aesthetics of Music). Chennai: Sembulam.
*Ilaiyaraaja. 1998 ''Vettaveli Thanil Kotti Kidakkuthu'' (trans.: My Spiritual Experiences) (3rd ed.). Chennai: Kalaignan Pathipagam. → A collection of poems by Ilaiyaraaja
*Ilaiyaraaja. 1998 ''Vazhithunai''. Chennai: Saral Veliyeedu.
*Ilaiyaraaja. 1999 ''Sangeetha Kanavugal'' (trans.: Musical Dreams) (2nd ed.). Chennai: Kalaignan Pathipagam. → An autobiography about Ilaiyaraaja's European tour and other musings.
*Ilaiyaraaja. 2000 ''Ilaiyaraajavin Sinthanaigal'' (trans.: Ilaiyaraaja's Thoughts). Chennai: Thiruvasu Puthaka Nilayam.
*{{cite web |url=http://movies.rediff.com/report/2010/sep/20/south-ilaiyaraja-bio.htm |title=Making Music, Raja-style |author=Srinivasan, Pavithra |date=20 September 2010 |work=Rediff.com |access-date=15 October 2010 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126153207/http://movies.rediff.com/report/2010/sep/20/south-ilaiyaraja-bio.htm |url-status=live }}
{{refend}}
==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{official website}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0006137}}
{{Ilaiyaraaja}}
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