Anything about IR found on the net - Vol 4

https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/jan/17/firat-look-of-ilaiyaraajas-musical-ninaivellam-meeyada-out-38849.html

https://www.news18.com/news/movies/ilaiyaraaja-finishes-scoring-music-for-lakshmy-ramakrishnans-next-directorial-6763783.html

https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/why-ilaiyaraaja-scored-for-a-musical-short-all-about-hariharan-rajus-atman/article66382677.ece

https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/viduthalai-song-onnoda-nadandhaa-ilaiyaraaja-dhanush-ananya-bhat-8432313/

https://youtu.be/nXYnP4f7HNs

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https://www.ottplay.com/news/rangamarthanda-puvvai-virise-pranam-sung-by-ilaiyaraaja-is-sirivennelas-attempt-to-decode-deeper-truths-of-life/cc0366543d68

DSP's heartfelt speech - people who are inspired by Ilaiyaraaja

New discovery today that for the 1984 Malayalam movie "onnANu nammaL", IR did only songs

Someone else did BGM!

How did I go after this movie? Somebody shared in twitter the Malayalam version of the 'thEr koNdu vandhavan yArenRu solladi' song, featuring Mohanlal and Poornima Jayaram on-screen.

When I tried to watch the movie, the title music itself was pathetic - and that's when I realized it was not by maestro

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

Gangai Amaran says that Ilaiyaraaja is composing another symphony now - plan is to be launched in the US (around 16:50 in the below video)

....2nd time in the last few months he has talked about Ilaiyaraaja composing another symphony


https://youtu.be/lXTN5KsOTLg

Flautist Sudhakar passed away on March-27-2023.  May his good soul rest in peace.  He was amongst the few BEST and FINEST flautists of the NATION.

He was a gem in the court of Maestro Ilayaraja.  He will continue to live with us through his work (like the recorder flute piece in Azhagiya kanne song interlude, How to Name it album, Mudhal Mariyaadhai album etc.).  

He also rendered his voice as an old woman in songs like Oram po oram po rukkumani vandi varudhu, Rukkumani rukkumani etc.

2015: He appeared as a guest in the Jaya TV Super Singer contest, in IR round.  He talks about a few things (in between songs) and plays Thumbi Vaa in flute and also Azhagiya kanne.

Unrelated: Binni Krishnakumar talks about how IR composed the theme for Ente Sooryaputhrikku, Fazil's Malayalam movie (Karpoora Mullai in Tamil) in the raga Mayavinodhini (the same as the heroine's name!).

For more videos on the flautist, check the topic: "Tribute to Flautist Sudhakar".

I've not watched the viduthalai-1 movie, but from this report, it sounds like public not appreciating BGM :

https://tamil.filmibeat.com/news/why-did-illaiyaraja-bgm-is-not-upto-the-mark-in-the-viduthalai-1-movie-by-vetrimaran/articlecontent-pf327517-106744.html

விடுதலை 1 படத்தில்.. பிஜிஎம் மிக மோசமாக சொதப்பி இருப்பது ரசிகர்களை அதிர்ச்சிக்கு உள்ளாக்கி இருக்கிறது. இளையராஜா லெஜண்ட்தான்.. லெஜண்ட்தான்.. ஆனால் இந்த படத்தின் பின்னணி இசைக்கும் காட்சிகளுக்கும் எங்குமே சம்பந்தம் இல்லையே பாஸ்.. நீங்கள் நம்பலைனாலும் அதான் நிசம்! இதை வெற்றியின் தீவிர ரசிகர்கள் பலரும் இணையத்தில் கொட்டி தீர்த்து உள்ளனர். இளையராஜாவிடம் இருந்து விடுதலை அடையுங்கள் அப்போதுதான் விடுதலை 2 வெற்றிபெறும் என்று நெட்டிசன்கள் வெற்றிக்கும் அறிவுரை கூட தொடங்கிவிட்டனர்.

app_engine wrote:I've not watched the viduthalai-1 movie, but from this report, it sounds like public not appreciating BGM :

https://tamil.filmibeat.com/news/why-did-illaiyaraja-bgm-is-not-upto-the-mark-in-the-viduthalai-1-movie-by-vetrimaran/articlecontent-pf327517-106744.html

விடுதலை 1 படத்தில்.. பிஜிஎம் மிக மோசமாக சொதப்பி இருப்பது ரசிகர்களை அதிர்ச்சிக்கு உள்ளாக்கி இருக்கிறது. இளையராஜா லெஜண்ட்தான்.. லெஜண்ட்தான்.. ஆனால் இந்த படத்தின் பின்னணி இசைக்கும் காட்சிகளுக்கும் எங்குமே சம்பந்தம் இல்லையே பாஸ்.. நீங்கள் நம்பலைனாலும் அதான் நிசம்! இதை வெற்றியின் தீவிர ரசிகர்கள் பலரும் இணையத்தில் கொட்டி தீர்த்து உள்ளனர். இளையராஜாவிடம் இருந்து விடுதலை அடையுங்கள் அப்போதுதான் விடுதலை 2 வெற்றிபெறும் என்று நெட்டிசன்கள் வெற்றிக்கும் அறிவுரை கூட தொடங்கிவிட்டனர்.

That looks more like a troll's gibberish - the worst part of being in the social media era.

Just watched Viduthalai yesterday.  Maestro Ilayaraja's music for Viduthalai is PHENOMENAL.  Let the whiners hit themselves against a brick wall.  It is hatred plus paid hate propaganda against IR; a SLANDER.  IR haters come in ALL sizes and shapes; every few months, there is a new size/shape; so the haters only keep increasing in number!  Last time, when Mysskin's Psycho teaser released, lunatics were babbling that he should pay royalty to Beethoven since he used his music there, and kept quiet only after they were told that it was Mysskin who did the music for the same.  They did not go much behind it after that point because the movie did not do well (correct me if wrong).  Now that he has joined hands with Vetrimaaran, and both the movie and the music are doing well, it is shaking them to their core!  Just one reason why he should not have been born in India, TN especially.  Saw how Telugu land is celebrating Rajamouli and Keeravani?!  Also, apart from all the hate "reasons", it is a CURSE to be born as a once-in-the-world GENIUS like IR.  He is a fully-clothed genius in a land of naked clowns that proudly dance around unabashedly flaunting their hatred, stupidity and ignorance.

Very happy that Maestro's first venture coming out from his own new studio has taken this GREAT form!  Touch wood.

This movie has the BEST MUSIC (both Songs and Background Score) in the entirety of Vetrimaaran's filmography, UNDOUBTEDLY.

The songs provided breathing space in an otherwise brutal movie.  The placement of all the 3 songs, is also perfect:

1. Arutperum jothi - Et tu, Vetrimaaran?!  He joins the "Look what you have done"-list (just my aadhangam) of directors who butchered an IR masterpiece mercilessly or did not bother much about it {Mysskin - Neenga mudiyumaa in Psycho, Gautham Menon - Mudhal murai paartha nyaabagam and Kamal Haasan - Isaiyil thodanguthamma in Hey Ram}.  How/why could he not find a 3-minute gap in the movie to fit this divine song in?  That bus trip was indeed the perfect place, but he could have easily conceived a scenario or simply extended that scene without even dialogues (like what Lijo did in Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam while Mammootty is traveling in the bus).  I was expecting it to be that way, and then suddenly in less than 15 seconds or so, the song was abruptly cut!  :-(   Also, it speaks of the "taste" of the audience, given that the other 2 songs have gazillion more views on YouTube.

2. Vazhi neduga kaattumalli - Voila!  Beautifully picturized.  Subtle emotions of the two leads also did justice to the beauty of the music.  Ananya Bhat and IR vocals sound even more heavenly in the theater.

3. Onnoda nadanthaa -  Now that was a surprise. The only minus of the song, (just a nitpick; nothing serious for me) Dhanush's vocals actually FUSED WELL with the visuals!  The song was like a pleasant journey, both aurally and visually.  Unlike others, I did like his raw tone in the song, but since he is not blessed with good vocal cords, it might have bothered our folks - the kinds who use SPB's name to put down even an excellent singer like Mano.

Coming to the Background Score, none other than IR would have done justice to the movie.  The score is nothing less than the so-called "Hollywood" movie's.  It was intriguing, mystic, adrenaline-pumping and soulful - as needed at the right spots.  Baradwaj Rangan's and a few others' reviews were biased, presumed and immature.  Baradwaj was even stupid enough to call Soori's character a "coward"!

Generally, speaking of critics, people should know to ignore them and take their "views" with a grain of salt.  Personally, I hate critics because when I watch a movie or listen to a piece of music, I am the critic.  I only read some reviews as they come, but ONLY AFTER I finish watching a movie or listening to a song.  There is NO NEED to confuse one's thoughts over them.  But SADLY, this is the era of social media with the so-called "influencers" and hence many people end up vomiting the critics' views and also take it on themselves because they are incapable on thinking on their own.  Herd mentality.

Background Score was engrossing from the titles to the end credits.  And the romantic theme was fascinating.  Even the very-short pathos song in IR voice was moving.
 
There is only one scene where the music is quite upbeat; it could be that Vetrimaaran wanted the music to be from the cops' perspective; that is the ONLY possibility I can think of.

Very raw cinema and an excruciating watch.  Expected it, but not to this extent.  This was more cruel than his previous best work, VisaaraNai.  Eagerly awaiting Part-2 to see it beating VisaaraNai.  Asuran was his weakest.

Both Soori and Bhavani Sre were excellent.  Wish to see Soori do more of such serious characters with weightage.  In Indian cinema, comedians always play a second fiddle to the "hero" though they are more or at least as capable as the latter.  More points to the director for extracting some good performances from the two usually-artificial directors, Gautham and Rajiv Menon!

Two cons of the movie:
1. Serious lip-sync/dubbing issues: The BANE of Indian cinema.  How could a director like Vetrimaaran miss it or rush it up (whatever be the excuse)?  Many scenes felt like I was watching Telugu (or other languages) original dubbed in Tamil.  All actors knew Tamil; so wondering what went wrong there.

2. Some editing issues: But then it should be expected given the raw nature of the movie.

This is not a movie where you say "oh, I loved the movie; I want to watch it again" (e.g. Mahanadhi), because of the sheer barbarity of the story/picturization; but it IS still good cinema albeit having some flaws.

Watched twice just for IR's BGM!

Yet to watch Viduthalai-1 (not a big fan of violent movies, typically wait to watch on TV or computer where I can FF stuff)...

However, based on tweets by many long-term IRFs, the propaganda against BGM is agenda driven (mostly people of strong political motives and some by ARR / Anirudh fan kind of usuals).

My tweets and a variety of responses there can be seen in these threads :

https://twitter.com/r_inba/status/1642902684687638531

https://twitter.com/r_inba/status/1643285953337778188

https://www.mixcloud.com/CrackMagazine/crack-mix-496-la-priest/

https://crackmagazine.net/article/mixprofile/la-priest/

panniapurathar wrote:https://www.mixcloud.com/CrackMagazine/crack-mix-496-la-priest/

https://crackmagazine.net/article/mixprofile/la-priest/

Interesting!

app_engine wrote:

panniapurathar wrote:https://www.mixcloud.com/CrackMagazine/crack-mix-496-la-priest/

https://crackmagazine.net/article/mixprofile/la-priest/

Interesting!

Indeed!  I like that LA Priest has not messed up the original of our IR's composition too much.  The 'Ilaiyaraaja Reimagined' project, on the other hand, was too synth heavy and jarring for my taste.

Do not miss this!
https://www.eppo.eppomusic.com/raajabyraga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Esmssb6OPYk&list=TLGGUeY-jFTXWB4xODA0MjAyMw&t=135s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkDUb08XT8c

Shriya Saran in IR's studio (music school movie related visit)
https://www.maalaimalar.com/cinema/cinemanews/tamil-cinema-shreya-and-papparao-met-music-director-ilaiyaraaja-605053?infinitescroll=1