Happy Birthday Ilaiyaraaja: 7 Unmissable ‘Isaignani’ Compositions

Ilaiyaraaja, who turns 81 on Sunday (June 2), is widely regarded as one of the greatest names in the music fraternity. During his nearly six-decade-long career, ‘Isaignani’ has won the hearts of countless movie buffs with his soul-stirring and haunting compositions. His songs usually blend with the film’s theme and add a new dimension to the overall experience. Here is a look at 7 unforgettable compositions that helped Ilaiyaraaja conquer the world of music.

Kanne Kalaimaane (Moondram Pirai, 1982)

In 1982, Ilaiyaraaja enthralled music lovers with ‘Kanne Kalaimaane’, one of the finest lullabys associated with Indian cinema. The soothing and mildly haunting composition coupled with Yesudas’ traqulising voice made this a surreal experience for listeners. ‘Moondram Pirai’ was later remade in Hindi as ‘Sadma’ (1983). The Hindi version of ‘Kanne Kalaimaane’ is titled ‘Surmayee Ankhiyon Mein’.

Thenpandi Cheemayille (Nayakan, 1987)

‘Nayakan’, directed by Mani Ratnam, is a gripping crime drama loosely based on The Godfather. The film features an intense narrative that centres on Velu, an ordinary man who becomes a don following a series of shocking events. ‘Thenpandi Cheemayille’, a touching composition with moving lyrics, sums up the protagonist’s journey and plays at numerous points in the narrative. In many ways, it is the film’s soul.

Unna Nenachen Pattu Padichen (Apoorva Sagodharargal, 1989)

‘Unna Nenachen Pattu Padichen’ is widely regarded as one of the finest sad songs of all time. Sung by the legendary SP Balasubramaniam, it captures the turmoil experienced by the protagonist after he learns that his love interest is not interested in him romantically. The sombre composition complimented Kamal Haasan’s expressions and left fans teary-eyed.

Abbanee (Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari, 1990)

Yet another gem from Ilaiyaraaja, the foot-tapping ‘Abbanee’ featured Chiranjeevi and Sridevi at their stylish best. It became a rage among the younger audience and was later remade/reused in Hindi as ‘Dhak Dhak Karne Laga’, the popular song from Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor’s ‘Beta’.

Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu (Thalapathi, 1991)

Ilaiyaraaja gave strong proof of his versatility as a composer with his peppy and catchy ‘Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu’, which featured Rajinikanth and was sung by SPB. The video also featured Sonu Wallia. ‘Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu’ secured the fourth position in a 2002 poll conducted by BBC to determine the ten most popular songs of all time worldwide.

Ram Ram (Hey Ram, 2000)

‘Ram Ram’, titled ‘Hey! Ram’ in Hindi, proved to be one of the biggest highlights of Kamal Haasan’s Tamil-Hindi bilingual ‘Hey Ram’ even though it played right at the end. The track, with its grand musical arrangement and meaningful lyrics, did complete justice to the film’s scale.

Piddly (Shamitabh, 2015)

Ilaiyaraaja proved that he knew the pulse of the younger audience like the back of his hand when he composed the trendy and catchy ‘Piddly’ for ‘Shamitabh’. The song was expertly sung by Amitabh Bachchan and his rich voice added new life to the unforgettable composition.

So, which of these songs is your favourite Ilaiyaraaja composition?