Anything about IR found on the net - Vol 4

app_engine wrote:Posting some YT links here, that have portions of interest for IRFs.

This series of videos are history recollection / tributes to many MF personalities etc by Dennis Joseph (director of the movie atharvam that had music by IR ; he also did the script of popular 80's hit movies such as niRakkoottu, shyAma, rAjAvinte mahan, new delhi...)

I plan to do an English translation of the IR-relevant portions someday when I have free time. 

For now, just the links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-33qQWShmgg&t=835s

(Here he talks about choosing IR for adharvam even though they could not imagine affording him)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ9M1xUleYQ

(Talks about the actual composing day)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKV4Wshz7L0&t=875s

(Talks about BGM session, rare case of preview to IR)

--------------------------------
Adi poli......sathyam ingane irikkumbo mattrullavar inganatha oru vyakthiyina pettri muzhuvan thetru thirichirukkunu ennu orkkumbo valara vishamam thonunnu..

Endhayaalum share cheydhadina nanni!

Thanks App_engine for Dennis Johnson Interview links. The respect IR has for artist and real cinema is amazing. Briefly checked the BGM for Atharvam. Really super.

Had some time today and got the translation of the first of those three YT's of Dennis Joseph.

That is, this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-33qQWShmgg&t=835s

Here you go (IR-relevant portions - not literal translation but reasonably close to what DJ meant):
=========================================================================
Dennis Joseph speaks:

Though Shyam, Venkatesh and Ousappachen were the MDs for our films usually, I had craze for IR and wanted him to do music (for atharvam). Eeraly (the producer) wanted Salil Chowdhury as they were close friends and Salil had done for all his prior movies; Plus, though most Malayalam films could not afford Salil, Eerali could get him for special rate - due to friendship. However I was particular about having IR (though I regret missing an opportunity to work with Salil).

Now, though IR had done Malayalam films in times past, by the time atharvam was being made, his salary had reached a level that no Malayalam movie could afford anymore. The budget / our plan for atharvam was 2.2 million rupees in 1988. That was TOTAL budget including salaries for everyone plus all other costs, complete; but just the salary of IR alone (in Thamizh) at that time was 1 million rupees! That is, his salary was comparable to 50% of the total money planned for our project.

Which is why even though IR had done Malayalam films in the past, once he became the most-sought-after MD in Thamizh and Telugu, we could no longer afford him. Even when the movies of mega stars such as Kamal & Rajini were released, IR was treated with similar respect to those heroes - that posters had his picture as big as Rajini's. I don't think ANY music director in Indian cinema EVER had such a huge recognition or market potential as IR had in that time period - none before and none after, not even A R Rahman.

So, when I said we need to meet IR and I want IR to do music, everyone got stunned. First of all the producer Eeraly was having money problems already. So, everyone felt that by insisting on IR, I'm going to land him in even worse financial trouble.

However, I continued my pursuit and was trying to get an appointment with IR thru KRG who produced my earlier movie sangham. (app_engine's note : KR Gangadharan, KRG, was the producer of many Tamil films like 'sigappu rOjAkkaL' and thus DJ considered as someone who could connect them with IR). But we weren't getting appointment. We kept getting excuses like 'may be tomorrow or another day' etc - we realized that KRG couldn't get IR's time as he was simply too busy.

Then somehow I got IR's direct number. That was not listed in the directory but I got it thru someone. Well, it was Piraichoodan, the lyric writer, Dr Piraichoodan, who got kalaimAmani title and was later president of writers union. He was my friend at that time.  Yes, Piraichoodan gave me IR's number. I mustered up courage and one day called the number from Woodlands Hotel.

It was Ilayaraja himself who answered the phone and enquired as to who is calling and for what. I replied my name is so and so and I am from Malayalam and want him to do my movie.

IR said "I'm not doing Malayalam nowadays as I am exerting to meet my commitments in Thamizh and Telugu themselves. And, what were your prior projects". I immediately replied "Sir, you've done Thamizh remakes of my Malayalam movies such as niRakkoottu and Shyama. Also, I am the writer of the movie now running in Safire theater, New Delhi'.

After a moment of silence, Ilayaraja said 'How does today look like, do you have time to visit my home now?' The moment he heard the name of the movie New Delhi, he was giving me directions how to reach his home! Within 30 minutes myself and the producer rushed to his home.

Once we reached home, I told him the story of atharvam. By the way, New Delhi was a movie that IR liked very much. He liked the story of atharvam too and decided to do the movie! Then IR asked with a smile, "Do you know my salary?" to which we replied in the affirmative. He then asked how that can be afforded for this Malayalam movie. To which I replied, "Sir, we definitely cannot afford your salary. Not even 1/10th of your current remuneration can we afford. However, your music is utterly necessary for our cinema". When I told this straight to him, he was laughing.

Then he asked, "Isn't Shyam sir the top MD in Malayalam now?" and we said yes and he asked how much you pay him. We told him the amount what Shyam was getting - in those days he was getting something near 50K rupees - not much but it was a big amount for Malayalam, considering even the super stars were getting only 200K those days, so it was reasonably big for a MD. When IR asked can you match what you're paying Shyam sir, Eeraly immediately agreed and gave him advance (which was pittance compared to what he was getting those days)!

Well, he gave a composing date that was after 2 days. When we were ready that day, his manager called us and informed us that IR wanted us to be there at 10 AM. Since he has to go for re-recording of a Telugu movie at 10:45 AM, the composing has to be finished before that.

I was shocked - because we used to spend a week or so with music directors for our 4 songs (for a movie). Here we are given not even a full hour. He wants to compose tunes for a movie in less than an hour, starting at 10 and had to leave before 10.45 it seems! Even if he had four ready-made tunes, won't it take at least 20 minutes to simply sing to us for acceptance? How can this be possible - I was very anxious. I even made a remark to Eeraly and Shibu (the writer) that if IR is trying to give some half-baked melodies to us simply because we were crazy after him and if they are unacceptable tunes, we'll simply say 'sorry' to him and depart! I really doubted if he was just pushing us over and was really upset!

Continuing with Part 2, which is in the beginning of the second YT, for about 3 minutes (DJ then moves on to talk about IR's assistant Sundarrajan and his musical capability, his violinist V S Narasimhan and his composing ability etc.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ9M1xUleYQ

Like the previous one, this is an approximate translation :

=====================================================================================
Dennis Joseph speaks:

Thus we went to Prasad studio and IR's composing room. In that room, everyone sits on a bed laid on floor. On our prior meeting itself we narrated IR the story and song situations.

Sir asked me "Can you tell me a Malayalam sample song, for the situation of the Silk Smitha number?". So, I replied yes and said something like 'poonthEnaruvi, ponmudip puzhaiyuda anujaththi' - the famous song by Devarajan master.

Immediately after I told him, not even a second elapsed, and there came this melody for 'puzhaiyOraththu' song - which is nothing similar to poonthEnaruvi - he gave the tune not even taking two seconds from the time I finished my words / closed my mouth!

Me, Eeraly and Shibu were looking at each other - all three of us stunned as we couldn't ask for anything better! We were amazed, telling "Sir this tune is enough, this is enough"! OK, what is the next situation - he was moving on within a second. And in the next 10 seconds, he did another melody, for the song that is popular to this day, sung by M G Sukumar, 'poovAy virinju'.

That way, for composing 4 songs, he took less than half an hour - and three of those are super hits! And to this day, those are sung in music festivals and TV programs - we hear every other day the puzhaiyOraththu song on TV! We were given such an opportunity with those 4 songs within half an hour and were made to personally experience and realize "How Ilayaraja became Ilayaraja (the great)"!

While these 4 songs were being composed within half an hour, somehow knowing we were there, Mammootty (the film's hero) also reached the studio. IR sang these melodies to him too. That way, even though he earlier allotted only 3/4 of an hour for us, he ended up spending / chatting with us for almost 2 hours. At the same time, he also kept writing some notations in-between and sending them for the other re-recording. That day he spent a couple of hours with us and later recorded those songs which became super hits!

Girl who performed in front of IR:
http://www.dinakaran.com/Ladies_Detail.asp?Nid=6770

atharvam director - Part 3 translation - based on the YT link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKV4Wshz7L0&t=875s
=======================================================

Dennis Joseph speaks:

Until that time (i.e. prior to atharvam) the practice was to give the movie to music director immediately after dubbing. That is visuals added with just the dialogue / speech part. With no "effect sounds" - means, no sounds such as closing a door or foot steps or rain sound, such things were not added before the music director is shown to score BGM.

Since it was considered expensive, it wasn't done prior to BGM in Malayalam movies and added only AFTER the re-recording, during the final mixing.

(a_e note : DJ explains how the famous director K G George once told him that in the world cinema they add such effects on a track PRIOR to re-recording That helped to add background music only where needed and could even be an inspiration to the music director.  He also adds that it has become common practice now, but not in those days as it was double strain, added costs and not affordable to Malayalam cinema).

Now, I got reminded of that comment by George sir while also realizing that Eeraly (the producer) is stretching now for funds and is in real trouble. However, I made a remark (about this practice of "effect sounds prior"). Since Eeraly had fancy for such technological advances, he grabbed the idea, telling 'let us do it in our movie', asking me not to worry about money.

So we took just one day to add the effect sounds to the dialogues - such as parrots chirping, water streams flowing etc. - from the beginning to the end of the movie. Only after these additions did we show the film to Ilayaraja.

Now, we took the movie to Ilayaraja AFTER missing the dates given to us and when he practically had no availability at all, as he was working day and night to get his commitments done, struggling to even find time for re-recordings.

On top of these, we were struggling for money as we had exceeded the budget. Now, this time when I met IR in the studio, he was doing music for a 70mm Telugu movie with a grand orchestra that was so big that there was no place for others to even stand in the recording theater! That was the way he was doing music those days and it was to such a place that we went with our poverty (lack of money, DJ uses the word "dhArithriyam" and each time I listen to this I can't help but LOL)!

And I even told Raja sir before showing him our movie that the producer does not have even 10 paise in his hands anymore (means, broke). So, I requested him that since we don't have any money, please do some minimal recording only.

Again he laughed - because no one told him like that in those days - because there was no way such money-less-pauper producers could afford to go near him.

However, when I showed the "double-positive-with-effects" to him, he got so absorbed and remained still for a while - because he liked the movie so much! And he made a remark that though you lack budget, you've taken a movie far beyond that demands quality BGM. The movie calls for grandiose score. Don't worry about the budget, whatever the producer has in hand, give the studio and the balance I will take care.

With that commitment, knowing we have no money, Ilayaraja didn't take the typical time spent for a Malayalam movie's re-recording - which was 3,4 days. Instead, started at 9 AM the next day and continued till night, finished the whole BGM by 10 PM (in a single day)! Not just that, it was such a fantastic BGM that even today when we watch the movie, one recalls it for many scenes - such an indelible and grand score!

There was this practice of "preview show" of movies in general to technicians. However, as Ilayarja was doing some ~75 films each year those days in all languages, he rarely had any time for such. Once he finished his part -songs BGM for a movie, he used to quickly leave it behind - not even remembering it - and kept moving on to the next in line. However, that was not to be the case with atharvam.

When we finished mixing (after re-recording) and were about to leave (Chennai), Raja sir asked me "Have you done the (final) "print" of the movie?" When I told him it was due the next day, he asked me if a show can be arranged for him! It was so unusual of IR to ask someone like that! When I told Eeraly, he was so pleased and considered that as a huge recognition! Thus we arranged a preview for him.

It was an exclusive one, meant for Raja sir and we expected him to come just with his family for the show. However, Ilayaraja came with practically all the top guns of film field, including Bharathi Raja. Now, Bharathi Raja was my idol and I always yearned to meet him. And here we have Ilayaraja coming with Bharathi Raja and the likes, almost 100 of them. With Ilayaraja appreciating the movie (and so were others), Seven Arts (a big production house in Kerala) also wanted to see the movie and had another preview. Even before the movie got released, they gave me advance for the next project!

(DJ goes on to relate how atharvam was just an average grosser at the box office and didn't make much money for the distributor K T Kunjumon - who later introduced director Shankar in Gentleman - or the producer, even though it was not a flop. That is a huge regret for him that it was not a commercial super hit, even though got critically acclaimed. He has some satisfaction that it is considered good to this day. Every now and then he gets calls and praises whenever it is shown on TV).

Nothing new in this installment of Sivakumar - mostly telling what we've been posting in our forum threads for years...

http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/cinema/news/74311

Rajini comedy speech :
https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/interesting-incidents-in-kaappaan-audio-launch

இளையராஜா - ரஹ்மான் இசையின் காம்பினேஷன்தான், ஹாரிஸ் ஜெயராஜ்

MD Dheena (I think he is office bearer in some TFM association) :

https://www.polimernews.com/dnews/72058/%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%BE-%E0%AE%8E%E0%AE%B8%E0%AF%8D.%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BF.%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95-%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D---%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%80%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%BE

இளையராஜாவையும், எஸ்.பி.பாலசுப்ரமணியத்தையும் பெரும்பாடு பட்டு சேர்த்து வைத்ததாக இசையமைப்பாளர் தீனா தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

Another honorary doctor:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawada/honorary-doctorate-to-be-conferred-upon-ilayaraja/articleshow/70385759.cms

10 hours of Non Stop Ilaiyaraaja songs in Kozhikode

https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/10-hours-of-ilaiyaraaja-songs-on-stage-non-stop/article28730395.ece

For those residing in the city - entry is free for this Aug 11 event!

Post appreciating music for HR:

https://vanakamindia.com/ilayaraja-music-makes-majestic/

இளையராஜா இப்போது களத்தில் பெரிதாக இல்லாமல் இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் அவர் சமகால இசையையும் சரி, எதிர்கால இசையையும் சரி, பலமாக மிஞ்சும் அளவிற்குச் சில சிறப்பான சம்பவங்களைச் செய்துவைத்திருக்கிறார். அதில் ஹேராம் ஒன்று.

தொகுப்பாளினி
http://www.dinakaran.com/Ladies_Detail.asp?Nid=6793

நான் கொஞ்சம் ஓல்டு ஃபேஷனில் தான் இருப்பேன். எனக்கு இதுதான் கம்ஃபர்டபிள்” என்று கூறும் டோஷிலாவின் மறக்க முடியாத நிகழ்வு என்றால் இசைஞானி இளையராஜாவுடன் பணியாற்றியது என்கிறார். ‘‘அதிகம் பேசக்கூடாது, நல்லா தமிழ் பேசணும். பாடலுக்கு முன் கொஞ்சமா பேசனும். குறிப்பா நான்சென்ஸ் பேசக் கூடாதுன்னு ‘என்னுள்ளில் எம்.எஸ்.வி’ என்ற இளையராஜா சார் நிகழ்ச்சிக்கு தொகுப்பாளர் வேண்டும்ன்னு கேட்ட போது, என்னை பரிந்துரைத்தாங்க. என்னுடைய வயதிற்கு அது பெரிய விஷயம்.

Director Ezhil Interview:

https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/director-ezhil-talks-about-his-films-with-ajith-vijay

உங்க படங்கள் எல்லாத்துலயுமே பாடல்கள் பெரிய ஹிட் ஆகுறதுக்கு என்ன காரணம்..?

’’நான், இளையராஜாவோட மிகத் தீவிர ரசிகன். சின்ன வயசுல இருந்தே அவர் பாடல்கள்னா எனக்கு உயிர். அவற்றை கேட்டுக் கேட்டு நான் வளர்ந்ததால, இயல்பாகவே இசைமீது நிறைய ஆர்வம் வந்திடுச்சு. ஒவ்வொரு கம்போஸிங்லயும் என் சிச்சுவேஷனுக்கு ஏத்த ஒரு ராஜா சார் பாட்டை சொல்லித்தான் ‘அதுமாதிரி வேணும்’னு கேக்குறேன். ஒவ்வொரு டியூனையும் வாங்கிட்டு வந்து, அன்னைக்கு ராத்திரிக்குள்ள பல தடவை கேட்டுப் பார்த்திடுவேன். அதுக்கப்புறம், விடியற்காலையில 5 மணிக்கு ஒரு தடவை கேட்பேன். அப்போ, என்னை அந்த டியூன் திருப்திபடுத்திடுச்சுன்னா, அதுதான் எனக்கான டியூன். ‘துள்ளாத மனமும் துள்ளும்’ படத்துல ‘இன்னிசை பாடி வரும்’ பாட்டுக்காக வைரமுத்து சாரை பார்க்கப்போயிருந்தேன். அப்போ, அவர் என்கிட்ட ‘இந்தப் பாட்டு மூலமா நீங்க என்ன சொல்ல வர்றீங்க’ன்னு கேட்டார். நான் கொஞ்சம் தடுமாறி விளக்கிக்கிட்டிருந்தப்போ, கூட இருந்த கரு.பழனியப்பன், ‘தேடல்’னு ஒரே வார்த்தையில படார்னு அடிச்சார். வைரமுத்துவும் தேடலை அடிப்படையா வெச்சுதான் அந்த பாட்டு வரிகளை எழுதித்தந்தார். அன்னைக்கு அவர் கேட்ட கேள்வியை நான் இன்னைக்குவரைக்கும் மனசுல வெச்சிருக்கேன். இந்தப் பாட்டு மூலமா என்ன சொல்லப்போறோம்ங்கிறதை மிகச்சரியா இசையமைப்பாளருக்கு விளக்கிட்டாலே... அவங்க அதுக்கேத்த சரியான ஒரு டியூன் போட்டுடுவாங்க.

அதுமட்டுமில்ல, யாரையும் ரொம்ப வற்புறுத்தி வேலைவாங்க மாட்டேன். இளையராஜா சாரை எனக்கு இவ்வளவு பிடிச்சாலும் அவர்கூட சேர்ந்து வேலைபார்க்க ஒரு சின்ன பயம் உண்டு. ‘பூவெல்லாம் உன் வாசம்’ படத்துக்குக்கூட தயாரிப்பாளர், ராஜா சாரைக் கேக்கலாம்னுதான் சொன்னார். நான் பயத்துல வேணாம்னு சொல்லிட்டேன். இன்னைக்கும் எனக்கு அந்தப் பயம் உண்டு. ஆனாலும் சீக்கிரமே சரியான ஒரு படத்துல ராஜா சாரோட சேர்ந்து வேலைபார்க்கணும்னு விரும்புறேன். அதேமாதிரி, எனக்கு ரொம்பப் பிடிச்ச யுவன் கூடவும் வித்யாசாகர் கூடவும் திரும்ப சேர்ந்து வேலை செய்யணும்னு ஆசையா இருக்கு.’’

IR and football:
https://cinema.dinamalar.com/tamil-news/80208/cinema/Kollywood/Ilayaraja-to-innagurate-Football-match.htm

sanglili murugan about IR...

 IR patri enna solla.... idhu dhane  Humanism....


https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/512865-sangili-murugan-2.html

Nearly missing . IR Show  Trichy..

kovil selvadharkaga trichy poitu vandhom.. Husband post padikarar.. Naan sonnen. Show mudinchu irukum endru.
adhanal avarum DATE gavanikavilai....

piragu dhan therigiradhu.. poster partha next day IR show nadaka poradhu endru...  romba sogam.

NEtil partha youtube idhu.. IR show .. mazhaiyal late endru.. show kaga kaathirukum IR Fans.


idhu 2nd time.. IR show mazhai endru.. 

Chennai show.. apodhu.. bayangara mazhai vara pogirdhu endru.. andha show ku poi irundhen.. Show
mudindhu 2 mani neram kazhithu nalla mazhai ....

apodhu megam kottatum paatu padavillai. en manasu padiyadhu.....
adhu pola indha Trichy show..

Megam kottatum paatum undu.......

isai mazhaiyal nija mazhaiyai niruthu vaipom naangal. romba nejam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWHwuWv4XJc

From the facebook post of Suka:
சுகா: தமிழ்ல மட்டும் இல்ல. பிற மொழிகள்ல செய்யப்பட்ட சின்னச் சின்ன புது முயற்சிகள்லயும் உங்க பங்கு இருந்திருக்கு! அனந்த் நாக்கோட ‘ஆக்ஸிடெண்ட்’ . . .
சட்டென்று இடைமறித்து இளையராஜா: கொஞ்ச நாளைக்கு முன்னாடி நீ ஒரு மலையாளப் பட போஸ்டரைக் காமிச்சு கேட்டியே! நிஜமாவே அந்தப் படத்தை நான் மறந்துட்டேன். பாரு, இப்பக் கூட டைட்டில் ஞாபகத்துக்கு வரல.
சுகா: சம்மோகனம். சி.பி.பத்மகுமார் படம். அந்தப் படத்துக்கு நீங்க பணமே வாங்கிக்காம மியூஸிக் போட்டுக் குடுத்ததா அவர் சொல்லியிருந்தாரு.
இளையராஜா: அதனாலதான் அது என் ஞாபகத்துல இல்லியோ, என்னவோ!
- ‘ஜன்னல்’ பத்திரிக்கை
பேட்டியிலிருந்து . . .

IsaiRasigan wrote:
சுகா: சம்மோகனம். சி.பி.பத்மகுமார் படம். அந்தப் படத்துக்கு நீங்க பணமே வாங்கிக்காம மியூஸிக் போட்டுக் குடுத்ததா அவர் சொல்லியிருந்தாரு.
இளையராஜா: அதனாலதான் அது என் ஞாபகத்துல இல்லியோ, என்னவோ!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammohanam

அவார்டு வாங்கவென்றே எடுக்கப்பட்ட படம் போலருக்கு...

katril endhan geetham from Nadhaswaram and their group

so nice. Nalla kacheri paatu bhavamaga nanraga than irukiradhu.Original bhavam.. adhai azhagaga
vasithu irukirargal. migavum  Rasichen.

Thanks for the link app.

https://twitter.com/sevitha8/status/1169999580731064320

Mandolin Logesh.... arumai....... muzhudhum inimeldhan kaetkanam.
Link post seidha sagi ku thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=dPDrrgx-ps0

From the Facebook page of Poet Isai Karukkal for the movie Psycho

Isai Karukkal தனது அட்டைப் படத்தை புதுப்பித்துள்ளார்.
11 செப்டம்பர், பிற்பகல் 5:32 · 







[size=11]54நீங்கள் மற்றும் 53 பேர்

2 கருத்துக்கள்[/size]

" சைக்கோ" வை இசையால் இழைத்தல்..!!!!!
[size=12] · Provide translation to ஆங்கிலம்







[/size]

[size=11]113நீங்கள் மற்றும் 112 பேர்

12 கருத்துக்கள்[/size]

Look at the 5 HFM picks of IR by one website:
https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment/news/bollywood-news/article/videos-5-most-popular-hindi-songs-of-ilayaraja-that-will-take-you-down-into-the-memory-lane/481056

halkE sE bOlE, piddly, surmai ankiyOn mEin, jAnE dO nA & gum sum it seems

edhirparamal parka kidaithadhu....

IR patri.... Ilaiyaravirku saval vitta padalgal enbadhai vida. .. padalgaluku saval vitta Ilaiyara.(kaetka nanraga than
irukiradhu.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70PdZpuV68o