Ilaiyaraaja recently reminisced about the journey of his debut film ‘Annakili’ which has now completed 50 years. In an emotional talk at an event, the legendary composer shared how writer-producer Panchu Arunachalam gave him his first chance in cinema. Ilaiyaraaja revealed that he did not know much about the film’s music composition at that time.
When Panchu asked Arunachalam if he had any tunes, he tapped on the table and sang some songs without any musical instruments. Pancho, impressed by the tunes, reportedly decided to build the script around them. That moment later became the beginning of a historic musical journey in Tamil cinema.
Ilaiyaraaja shares why fans treat him like a music god
One statement from Ilaiyaraaja’s speech quickly went viral among fans and music lovers. “People see me as the god of music, let them see me that way,” he said proudly.
As reported by Thanthi TV, the composer added that even after spending more than five decades in cinema, he still feels unchanged from the inside and continues to live only through music. According to him, he never composes songs thinking about fame or popularity.
“Music brings peace, and I simply do it honestly,” he said during the interaction.
Ilaiyaraaja remembers feeling lost during his debut days
Ilaiyaraaja also spoke about the fear and confusion he faced at the beginning of his career.
Before entering Tamil cinema, he worked under Kannada composer GK Venkatesh and contributed to more than 200 films as an assistant. Despite this experience, he admitted to feeling nervous when he composed independently for the first time. “I felt like I was left alone in the woods,” he recalls. Initially, ‘Aanakili’ did not receive a strong response in theatres, and even one song was removed from the film.
However, the songs later became huge hits and changed the sound of Tamil cinema music forever.
Ilaiyaraaja believes his music will last forever
Ending his speech on an emotional note, Ilaiyaraaja spoke about the undying bond people have with his music. “Even if I’m not here tomorrow, my music will last forever,” he said confidently. He feels that the emotional connection his songs have with listeners still continues today because they are written with honesty and feeling. The ace composer also stated that he is composing music for a Tamil film directed by R. Balki.
