Recent News on Raaja (news about new films/albums, articles etc)

I just noticed that there is no dedicated thread for Recent news. I think this thread can be used to track the progress of various films he is doing, album release dates etc. Once the album releases, the discussion can be then taken to "Recent Albums" thread because it will be mostly opinions on the album.

Lets use this thread strictly for news updates on upcoming films/albums, public appearances, TV shows etc.

This link: http://epaper.sakshi.com/apnews/Hyderabad-Main_Edition/27102012/Details.aspx?id=1528024&boxid=26297446 has the details in Telugu.

Some ex-minister named Pushpaleela has started a new banner named "My Thought Creations" and the first film under the banner is "Music & Dance", with all new-actors. Vijay Reddy is the director and Ilaiyaraaja is scoring the music.

People on FB , please like this page IlayaThalam.
Its the official page of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja
https://www.facebook.com/Ilayathalam?fref=ts

You can add him as a friend here to receive further updates
https://www.facebook.com/raja.raaja.94?fref=ts

As posted by Kamesh in another thread.

Ilayathalam: Hi all,
We are shooting the promo for the unplugged concert that Maestro will be performing of his favourite film and non-film songs.
Ilayathalam has decided to include 20 - 30 people from our fan page to attend the promo shoot where Maestro will sing 2 -3 songs on the piano with other musicians.
Anyone interested please don't comment but just hit the "Like" button to this post. We will randomly choose the winners. We are very happy with the contestants who came to the studio earlier for the rehearsals. Maestro was really pleased.
- Ilayathalam
u r yet to like...
pl like to get a chance...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=516867088325659&set=a.513576128654755.126562.454532297892472&type=1&theater

Ilaiyaraaja is confirmed for Gunasekar's film "Rudramadevi", starring Anushka. It is a telugu film.

First Poster: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151149626489527&set=a.403375659526.178941.720849526&type=1&theater

I am expecting lot of folk music here.

rudrAmmA dEvi

Looks like the director of this movie, Gunasekar choosing IR is somewhat similar to the case of Gautam (i.e. first time working with IR, after scoring BBs with other MDs in a somewhat long career, for e.g. he did the Telungu original of 'gilli' -okkadu).

The news also tells that his last 3 movies were disasters at BO. (Mani Sharma seems to be his regular but he had done one each with HJ & Thaman).

Let us see...

app_engine wrote: rudrAmmA dEvi

Looks like the director of this movie, Gunasekar choosing IR is somewhat similar to the case of Gautam (i.e. first time working with IR, after scoring BBs with other MDs in a somewhat long career, for e.g. he did the Telungu original of 'gilli' -okkadu).

The news also tells that his last 3 movies were disasters at BO. (Mani Sharma seems to be his regular but he had done one each with HJ & Thaman).

Let us see...

Gunasekhar's favourite is Mani Sharma because they came to the field (or had success) at the same time (almost), working together. But his initial films did have some decent music (not by Mani sharma). For that matter, even his recent films - I see that there is at least one decent song (not great, but decent by usual commercial trash in telugu) while rest are usual stuff. This guy has a penchant for huge sets. He erected a Charminar replica for the Gilli Original in telugu and he got Madurai temple set erected for another film (all courtesy Thota Tharani). And Gunasekhar did make a mythological film before - Ramayanam, with all kids. It was received well back then and even fetched some Nandi awards.

This is no doubt an interesting film. The question is how well they will pitch it. And what kind of music will he ask. Folk will be there. The question that I have is - Will Ilaiyaraaja go for authenticity in music-canvas (like in Rama Rajyam - where not much sounds too modern)? Or will he de-bunk authenticity in score like he did for Jaganmohini and Ponnar Shankar's Kannai Padithen (I love the song, but it does not sound remote periodic, in its execution)? Uliyin Osai had a mix of both - the heavy classical ones gelled well with authenticity while that Bhavatharini Song sounded more modern. I am curious to see which card will he play now.

he got Madurai temple set erected for another film (all courtesy Thota Tharani).

"Arjun". Dubbed in Tamil as "VarrEndA Maduraikku"

I know it is an old news, still I like this balanced review of marathi film 'Hello Jai Hind' which many failed to even write a movie.
http://wogma.com/movie/hello-jai-hind-review/

A special mention must go to maestro Illaiyaraaja, who has given the music for the film. Few men can come up with melodies that go with the moment or the occasion like the great man, and his music is an asset to this film. Be it the ‘Ganpati Ala’ track or the songs sung by Sukhwinder, Kailash Kher and Hariharan respectively, the music is from the soul - not the kind that would find its way into iPods across the nation, but the kind which one would not fast-forward while watching on DVD. One only wishes that Illaiyaraaja does more films, even if they are regional or offbeat.

Thank you Pradeep Menon.

Wonderful article by suka.
http://solvanam.com/?p=22579

From the article:

‘இந்தப் பாட்ட எளுதுனவன், பாடுனவ, எசையமைச்சவன் எல்லாரயும் சுட்டுக் கொல்லணும்டெ. துஷ்டி வீட்டுக்கு வந்த மாரில்லா சவம் அளுக அளுகயா வருது. இன்னொரு மட்டம் கேட்டென்னா மூச்சு முட்டி செத்தே பெயிருவென்’

‘வே, அத ஏன் கேக்கேரு? ராத்திரி சரக்கப் போட்டுட்டு ஒளுங்கா மரியாதயா செவனேன்னு கட்டய சாத்துறத விட்டுட்டு தேவனின் கோயில் பாட்டக் கேக்கலாமாய்யா? சவம் காலச் சுத்துன பாம்பா விடிய விடிய கொன்னு எடுத்துட்டுல்லா. படுக்கும் போது மணி என்னங்கேரு? காலைல எட்டர. ஒரு சினிமாப் பாட்டு இப்பிடியாவே மனச அறுக்கும். ச்ச்சை’.

இப்படி ஒரு கட்டுரை எழுதிவிடும் அளவுக்கு என்னை ‘தேவனின் கோயிலுக்குள்’ கொண்டு போய் விட்டு, கதற வைத்தது யார் என்று தீவிரமாக யோசித்து, சற்று சிரமப்பட்டே விடையைக் கண்டுபிடித்தேன். அது வேறு யாருமல்ல. நானேதான்.

Only last month, I found very difficult to come out of this song, after Rex posted this song in his quiz and now this.
http://365rajaquiz.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/track76/ (Nerd FYI, on our newest member, he is also part of the quiz . Expecting him to share his thoughts on our Maestro.)
enakku enna doubt'na, itheyellaam yaarume kEtkamattEngraanga, anA Raja'vai patthi kurai sollanunma, munnaadi vandhu nikkaraanga. pollaatha ulagam!

Hi Guys,

Just joined the group. Thanks for the invite. Hope to make learn more about Raja songs.

Thanks,
Senthil

Vaanga Senthil, Welcome.

One more film.

Prakas Raj's another directorial venture - Ulavachaaru Biryani - will be having music by Ilaiyaraaja. It will be in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

Link: http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/news/ulavacharu_nov162012.php

V_S wrote:Vaanga Senthil, Welcome.

Thanks V_S

உன் சமையல் அறையில்...: இளையராஜாவுடன் மீண்டும் பிரகாஷ் ராஜ்!

தோனி படத்துக்குப் பிறகு மீண்டும் இசைஞானி இளையராஜாவுடன் கைகோர்க்கிறார் பிரகாஷ் ராஜ். அதுவும் ஒரு இயக்குநராக!தோனி படத்தில் பிரகாஷ் ராஜ் நடிப்பும் இயக்கமும், இளையராஜாவின் இசையும் பெரும் பாராட்டுக்களையும் வரவேற்பையும் பெற்றன.
அடுத்து
தமிழில் ஒரு படத்தை இயக்கி நடிக்கிறார் பிரகாஷ் ராஜ். படத்துக்கு தலைப்பு
உன் சமையல் அறையில். மலையாளத்தில் வெளியாகி ஹிட்டடித்த சால்ட் அன்ட்
பெப்பர் படத்தின் ரீமேக் இது.

தமிழ், தெலுங்கு, ஹிந்தி என மூன்று
மொழிகளில் பிரகாஷ்ராஜ் இயக்கி வரும் இந்த படத்துக்கு இசைஞானி இளையராஜா
இசையமைக்கிறார். 5 பாடல்கள் இடம்பெறுகின்றனவாம்.
இந்தப் படத்தில் பிரகாஷ் ராஜுடன் நடிக்கப் போகும் நடிகை... வயசானாலும் குலுங்கும் கவர்ச்சியுடன் உலா வரும் தபு!

Salt & Pepper is interesting film! So we can expect some youth connect! Hopefully prakashraj pulls this time

Finders Keepers Records (solla solla/naanthaan ungappanda fame) are going to release another assorted album called 'ILECTRO!' soon. Please watch out for this space.
http://www.finderskeepersrecords.com/shop.html

Is rAsA going to show up at Yuvan's Malaysia show?

This news claims so:
http://news.moviegalleri.net/2012/11/yuvan-shankar-raja-rocked-at-klimf-2012-curtain-raiser.html

To promote the programme in Malaysia, Yuvan did a unique curtain raiser at Sathyam Cinemas on Wednesday (Nov 28) night.

Maestro Ilayaraja will also make a special appearance at the show.

Raaja is doing a tamil film titled "Megha".

Singer Ramya(NSK) tweeted this: @ Prasad studios to record for raja sir's next project, megha. Will be singing 3 songs in d same movie as well. Can't wait for d release! =D

https://twitter.com/SingerRamya/status/277993258116853762

Marathi film "Touring Talkies" to be in an Intl film festival in Kerala

It is a matter of pride that actress -producer Trupti Bhoir's latest Marathi film 'Touring Talkies' directed by the versatile Gajendra Ahire has been selected for screening in the prestigious 17th Kerala International Film Festival to be held in Thiruvananthapuram from December 7 to December 14 this year. The film will be showcased as a world premiere, even before its release in Maharashtra, in the section Top Angle Indian Cinema which is being inaugurated from this year. It is a section in which the choicest Indian films which deal with the slice of life and make an attempt to tackle subjects which are different are being showcased.
...
...
Touring Talkies is an interesting film, which revolves around the protagonist named Chandi, who runs a touring talks across Jatras and her brother (who aspires to be a director on his own right), who helps her run the projector. The star cast of the film comprises of Subodh Bhave, Trupti Bhoir, Suhas Palshikar, Vaibhav Mangle, Neha Pense, Chinmay Sant, Kishore Kadam and last bit not the least Milind Shinde. While Ballu Saluja is the editor and Amol Gole is the cinematographer, the renowned music director from the South-Ilayaraja composes the music for the film

One more..."EMS-um peN kuttiyum"...

Look at this article about the film maker

"As my movie also discusses the migration issues faced by Sri Lankans, many advised me to watch the Lankan war movies. But I deliberately kept away from it. I didn't want those movies to influence me. Anyhow, my movie is not discussing war. It is all about migrations," Rafeek said.

Innocent, Geetha, Thampi Antony, Karunaas, and Saravanan are the other actors in the movie. The music is composed by Ilayaraja and the movie is edited by Samjith Mohammed.

I've listened to the whole of the 'sariyO sariyO nAn kAdhaliththadhu' song for the first time

During all my prior encounters, it was only a small part of it...never gave a complete listen because of liking too much the 'puzhayOraththil' song from the Malayalam movie atharvam...KSC excelled in it while SJ sounds aged in the pallavi of 'sariyO sariyO'. The song gets pass mark overall thanks to MV...

Well, another reason to give a complete listen today was that of coming to know that R Sundarrajan was the director for en kitta mOdhAdhE

Well, there's another interesting news from this radiospathy blog post :
http://www.radiospathy.com/2013/01/blog-post_3.html

நீண்ட இடைவெளிக்குப் பின்னர், இசைஞானி இளையராஜாவோடு, இயக்குனர் ஆர்.சுந்தராஜன் இணைந்து பணியாற்றும் "நிலாச்சோறு" திரைப்படத்தின் அறிவிப்பு வெளியாகியிருக்கும் இந்தவேளை, இந்த இருவரின் கூட்டணியில் வந்த திரைப்படங்களின் தொகுப்பாக இந்தப் பகிர்வு அமைகின்றது.

A few more good songs assured!

Wow! That's a great news R Sunderrajan-IR again!. I just need only one soundtrack like Amman Koyil KizhakkaalE, so greedy.

I am greedier. I want the likes of SPB/KJY/PJ and KC and other senior ladies who still can sing.

Kamal Haasan turns singer for Ilayaraja at 30 minute’s notice: http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/kamal-haasan-turns-singer-for-ilayaraja-at-30-minutes-notice-625685.html

This is an old news.. about Happi recording and all. Why is it being raked up now, when the film is almost shelved(so i assume)? Or does this news bit now mean that the film is being readied for a release now? I hope its true!