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Ilayaraja's comments in Kumudam

Topic started by Karthik (@ 164.164.128.13) on Thu Feb 8 07:26:45 EST 2001.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

IR has, in an interview in the latest Kumudam (also covered in the front page with his snap), said that 'He has wasted 25 years of his life in film music'.

I dont know how others look at it, but I see it as a very harsh statement of total disloyalty. Its tamil film music that has given IR all the attention and praise he is receiving now. If he's a genius in composing WC, that, in any way doesnt affect anybody in TN. What affects the common man in TN is how good IR has composed in his tamil films.

IMHO, it was a statement totally unwarranted and shows utter disrespect on IR's part towards his craft.

Karthik

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: fan (@ 192.11.221.102) on: Fri Feb 9 16:52:58 EST 2001
  
  Raja's outpour has been geniune. Anybody in his shoes would have reacted more dramatically.
  I do'nt think he is complaining about recognition.
  His main concern is that he not being motivated by
  TFM. For somebody who has seen & experienced TFM in close quarters, the current state of affairs ought to have made him react.
  He should look for other sources of inspiration. Maybe his Hungary trip could have given more impeteus. I heard from close associates that he his re-energized and raring to go.
  He is not suffering from any freudian or other psycho syndromes.
  A very honest man's outcry. Whats wrong with that?!
  
  
  
• From: KSS (@ 216.175.88.232) on: Fri Feb 9 19:02:47 EST 2001
  
  Well, personally, I have always felt that a supremely talented person like Raja was wasting his time in film music. Whenever he was asked about this, he used to give an analogy saying that "A sculptor should not only be able to sculpt a work of art but also sculpt a humble grinding stone" Though that is in a utilitarian way true, the fact is that few if any are of the caliber of Ilaiyaraaja. A man of his stature should never have put himself in the same comparison bucket as his other mortal brethren. Though it is a fact that Raja got his break in films, it was time for him (a long time ago) to set his own parameters and work towards them. For example he could have slowly weaned himself away from film music restricting himself to the odd gem. Though this would mean less money perhaps and less of that glitzy name, it would have done some justice to his god-given talent. If not film music, then what ? Well .... he had already done How to Name it and Nothing But Wind. He could have pursued that route and followed with more albums. Though these may not have been chartbusters (just as any great work of art is mostly never a chartbuster), it would have done justice to his talent. But he chose to remain in film music (for money, fame, whatever) and now feels this way. Can't blame anyone I guess. For one, we as fans have gained from his immense talent in terms of listening pleasure. But was his time well spent ? I wonder.
  
  However, the above is in no way an excuse for the bad songs he has given in the last few years.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• From: sabesan (@ 12.47.56.110) on: Fri Feb 9 19:18:10 EST 2001
  
  Sriks..... was that u in the start of the thread saying some *not so good* comment about IR? or was it someone else using "fan" name?
  
  
• From: fan (@ 151.197.217.102) on: Fri Feb 9 19:19:46 EST 2001
  
  sabesan,
  Its not Sriks. It a fan
  
  
• From: Another fan (@ 151.197.217.102) on: Fri Feb 9 19:28:13 EST 2001
  
  The reason he remained in the filmdom after 89' is his commitment to his close friends.
  He took a mini hibernation from 93 to 95 and came back for monetary reasons.
  Now that his monetary reasons are done, he is back to his element.
  It was excrucitating for him to sit in parsad from 95 thru 2000 and churn out junk in TFM.
  But his mallu endeveaours have been great. For reasons best known to him he wanted to give trash to TFM.
  But the past is behind him and he is more of a rejenuvated man.
  I only wish he does'nt use TFM as medium to convey his creativity.
  I hate to see the likes of Ajit and Vijay lip sync and shake their butt for raja's music.
  
  
  
• From: ravi k.s. ravichandran (@ 128.110.251.19) on: Fri Feb 9 21:34:41 EST 2001
  
  Koothan & Layman:
  
  Good analysis and comments. Keep it up.
  
  Personally I feel that he is somewhat frustrated about lack of avenues and opportunities to do more creative stuff. He has the right to make such comments and reasonable people like us who has been listening to his creation almost free of cost should give him some slack. Let him say what he feels and it is important to know what he feels..He has the right to say whatever he wants..It just that one need to undestand that he is being himself and that does not fit in this fake and political and highly business oriented cine world. I am actually happy that he is himself. And that's how he gave some of the great stuff.
  
  Cine world does not really support music..it is simply a machine making money out of your talent. If the world indeed truly supports music creativity why did Mozart and other great musicians like him die almost pennyless after their musical career was over? It is true that some of our greatest Carnatic musicians even today live in near abject poverty. What has been done to them beyond "potthing some ponnadai?" It is the brutal fact that most people just want to enjoy for their own pleasure and there is no mechanism for connecting people to the musician.
  
  If you are a scientist like me then it is easy to undestand. There is lot of copying, denying credit and politicizing going on there too. And it is almost impossible to say who is truely the original creator of something.
  
  IR is great and he has my deep regard no matter what he says. I understand him as a person now, better.
  
  
• From: cram (@ 206.103.12.102) on: Sat Feb 10 05:31:33 EST 2001
  
  i had mentioned that IR should have gone beyond because he was too good for it, and i am sure he realized it in the late 80s. the problem with him was that he was not willing to walk the extra mile and do what he really should have been doing, going global. look at Rahman, he has made his moves smartly, he is also in the position that IR was in the late 80s, and he has realized it. it's good to see him collaborate with someone like Webber and do something that can truly bring out a new dimension to his talent.
  IR did not, or could not, do it. so why crib about it and expect to get away with it? tomorrow, if mani rathnam says he has wasted 25 years in tamil film and that he should have been in hollywood, people will laugh at him. IR should realize that he is a public figure and has to watch his mouth. if he's frustrated, let him give vent to it in private, not in public.
  
  
• From: cram (@ 206.103.12.102) on: Sat Feb 10 05:33:18 EST 2001
  
  pls read gone beyond as gone beyond tfm
  
  
• From: vengayam (@ 202.54.94.54) on: Sat Feb 10 06:48:44 EST 2001
  
  IR has always been this way, biting the very hand which feeds him , adding pseudo psycological mumbo jumbo. kazhudai kathuthal sangeetham than .. naana isaikkiren avan asaikkiraan etc. so it is nothing new. to his fans he is god to others he is just another music director.
  
  
• From: poondu (@ 66.27.18.157) on: Sun Feb 11 01:18:11 EST 2001
  
  vengayam - you stink :-)
  
  
• From: a Sad Old timer (@ 63.225.174.176) on: Sun Feb 11 03:02:15 EST 2001
  
  It is high time to shut down this site for a short period of time...something like a vacation.(2 months)
  
  Too much trash talk is going on.....and
  things are going crazy.....
  
  at this rate what ever good name this site earned in the past will be wiped out. :(
  
  
• From: master (@ 202.188.196.83) on: Sun Feb 11 08:51:15 EST 2001
  
  as long as there is kuppai ilayaraja, such trash will continue
  
  
• From: Vijay Venkatram J (@ 202.54.33.219) on: Sun Feb 11 09:50:35 EST 2001
  
  Master,
  Mind your tongue! Endha oorya nee? Ungalukkellaam Nyanasoonyamnu per vekkalaama?
  
  
• From: Vijay Venkatram J (@ 202.54.33.219) on: Sun Feb 11 10:09:06 EST 2001
  
  Master:
  Don't u have any courage? Posting under the name Pudhiya Mugam in one thread and this name here? I know it - the ip addresses are the same!
  
  Maestro's Fans please come to:
  
  http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/maestroilaiyaraajafansclub
  
  
  
  
  
• From: pg (@ 12.20.190.1) on: Mon Feb 12 12:49:23 EST 2001
  
  Read Sujata's comments :
  
  http://www.ambalam.com/sujatha/2001/february/sujatha11_01.html
  
  
  
• From: gangai amaran (@ 62.158.199.166) on: Mon Feb 12 14:05:10 EST 2001
  
  vijay venkatrama..
  unakku IR evalavu comminsion kudutharu.. nee ella threadlayum ippadi fanclub serrunnu aal pudikarae.
  
  IR didnt work in TFM for free. He has got money and then only he has done music. So it is any other person going for work. Okay. So he has not contributed anything for free. After getting money only he is working.
  Someone told that he went back to some HIGH level music. Now , noone is calling him. He is just chasing the flies in his house. So dont think taht he has decided not to do TFM. TF industry has said good bye and take rest to him. Okay.
  
  sad old timer,
  if u feel that it is high time to close the forum. better do that. Because you people cant see IR being trasjed by young people of current generation. You can start a site as OLD TFM under IR.
  IR has got all his fame and wealth because of TF industry. If he things that he has wasted his 25 years here, then ask him to give all the wealth he earned through TF industry back to TF industry.
  
  IR got more fame becos of some good musicians around him.
  IR is good most of the times, but sometimes when he meets the press people, he becomes wild and he is a psychic.
  
  
  
• From: Travis (@ 194.85.200.36) on: Mon Feb 12 15:59:45 EST 2001
  
  Ilayaraaja is a genius but not God. and the so-called die-hard fans, plz understand people can have differing opinions under the sun.
  
  If he says, he wasted his time in TFM, I agree with gangai amaran, nobody actually twitched raja's arm to come and make TFM. he did it becoz he wanted money. And the music , with the exception of kadhalukku mariyadhai and hey ram and a few, were pure trash. Even these few movies were nothing when compared to what Rahman was chruning out at that time. Only his loyal cult-followers listen to his recent numbers... They are nothing to be cherished about.
  
  
  Coming back to his statement, its ridiculous and a pity that the only state in which you can take itsple for a ride and actually get away with it!!
  
  
• From: Travis (@ 194.85.200.36) on: Mon Feb 12 16:20:24 EST 2001
  
  sorry:
  
  I meant the only state in which you can take its people for a ride and actually get away with it is Tamil nadu!!!
  
  

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