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The most scathing IR criticism ever, probably!

Topic started by cyk (@ 216.65.106.130) on Sun Sep 3 23:55:27 EDT 2000.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I found this in the official message board of arrmp3 (geocities.com/arrmp3) run by Karthik, by someone called Pennathur. The write-up is probably the most scathing criticism I've ever come across of IR!!

cyk


Sites like aaraamthinai and indiainfo seem to be publishing motivated stuff about rahman.

let's face it folks there are still some people who can't accept the fact that Ilayaraja is no longer the Raja he was. It is not just that he has retired from the scene or something Rahman has ushered in a new order of things and has come out on top in a more comptetitve market. These controversies also have regional element to them. And please believe me I am not being parochial. Rahman's music is urban and specifically rooted in his favourite city (mine too) MAdras. Ilayaraja is a reluctant resident of Madras and for the talent that comes out of Cumbum, Madurai, Thenee he is the supremo. The composers and musicians in his - Raja's - camp (all incredibly talented) who work on TV serials and small clips for the movies will never accept that Ilayaraja's time is up. And they have been naysayers for a long time. For some time Ilayaraja tried propping up his sons Kartik and Yuvan Shankar, who unfortunately aren't even a glimmer in comparison to their illustrious father. And Kartik the upstart and braggart needlessly muddied himself badmouthing Rahman. Today neither of the boys are anywhere on the scene.

The comparisons that some people wouldn't like to make are as follows:

Ilayaraja was a swollen headed man - how many of you know that the title Isaignani was self-anointed?
While Rahman continues to remain a humble person and makes no great claims for himself except that he slogs his whatever off for each and every song

Ilayaraja was virtually hostile towards the press and never deigned to grant interviews or enven show himself in public. Rahman is approachable and fields soem fairly sensitive questions

Ilayaraja is but one in a long line of film composers in the many languages of India. But have you ever heard him acknowledging his own guru - GK Venkatesh - or MSV or anyone else? Rahman n the other hand is profuse in his praise for other composers and even acknowledges the genius of Ilayaraja

Rahman was the guy who taught Ilayaraja to use multi-track recording and remastering with Punnagai Mannan - and it is an open secret in Kodambakkam that at least two songs in the movie were composed by Rahman - and that's how KB caught hold of Rahman for Roja (remember KB produced the film) Raja has never acknolwedged tha man by now

Rahman continues to be a gracious man and participates in free events every now and then. While he may not be like the great MSV (who took care of SM Subbiah Naidu till his last days, performed free with his harmonium for some plantation workmen in Sri Lanka, who can even today be seen taking a walk down Santhome High Road in the evenings chatting up with the local potti kadai guys, or having a stroll by the beach) he is approachable. We do know that Raja came from very humble origins but how much does he mix around or remain rooted with people in everyday life?

In an interview on TV some years back someone asked MSV has Ilayaraja set you aside and has Rahman set aside Raja. To which the inimitable MSV replied, "No one sets aside anyone else. One: the listeners decide these matters as we just exist to satisfy their musical needs and two: only God can set people aside" Isn't it interesting that most Rahman fans are fans of MSV too? It is indeed a coup that Rahman got MSV to sing on "Sangamam"? With Rahman we are seeing the return of those balladish robust strains we would hear in every MSV solo.

And one more thing Rahman steers clear of something that Raja loved to do - interfere with the movie script and its direction etc. And that's what led to his downfall and parting of ways with his close friend Bharatiraja. The slide for Raja began with "Captain Magal" when Bharatiraja threw Raja off the sets for monkeying around. After which BR erased all the background score and the two songs already composed and called Hamsalekha to score the movie.

Fame is a very fickle thing. You don't know when it will part from you. MSV never let fame go to his head and has retired gracefully. While Ilayaraja just cannot, having lorded over the scene like a banyan tree (nothing grows underneath a banyan)

The story of Ilayaraja is a lesson to all of us.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: vanavil (@ 210.212.251.69) on: Tue Sep 19 00:35:39 EDT 2000
  
  Hi Pennathur,
  I think i went out of my limits. I really feel sorry for the way i used my language. It was really hurting. But i still do have the feeling that ur thread is hurting-hurting to a very large extent. Your last few words - a lesson to learn from IR's life- is truly hurting. You mean to say that IR is a failure. You mean to say that IR has so for remained an example for negative things. Bullsh**. Mind you IR's story is the most brightest phase in indian music history. He sweetly represents the rich musical heritage this country has in its ranks. Right here are some explainations for ur allegations.
  
  1. The title Isaignani is self-anointed. For ur kind information -that was conferred to him by none other than our own CM MR.Karunanidhi at a function held in karaikudi in the year 1988-89.
  
  2.About Media- in an interview IR has said the reason for avoiding the media- the reason media expects him to spell out some thing troublesome. He didn't want to be the mouthpiece for some one else . They want him to say things they expect to.
  
  3.About accepting composers like MSV etc.,-in an program telecast in doordharshan IR went to the extent of saying that he grew up with the music of MSV anna(he calls MSV as such). Infact he personally invited MSV to his house and played the symphony to him.
  
  4.About multi track recording- I dont think Rahman would not have been around when the song EN KANMANI from chittukuruvi was recorded. Sorry gentleman it was IR who introduced Multi track in the film PRIYA. To the best of my knowledge ARR only programmed for two songs in PM which were actually composed by IR. Hope u know the difference between composing and programming a composed one. The most interesting part is that due to some tech. snag Sivamani played it live for the song instead of ARR.(sivamani in an interview in kumudam).
  
  5.About being gracious- well u know IR gives away the money he earns thru' his singing to an orphanage, and the money earned thru' writing song to a old age house. The best part of remaining gracious is to remain silent.
  
  6.About interfering in the script- Do u think that a man who was completing a film a week had time to spare for story discussion.
  
  finally I still remember the words of kamalhassan- every one says that IR is very egoistic, feels superior than others. The fact is that he doesn't have time to feel either egoistic or superior.
  
  Pennathur- keep one thing in mind. Every one has their own likes and dislikes. Dont hurt them.
  
  The story of IR is a learning lesson for any one who aspires to do great things in their life-long live IR and his Music. I think i have unloaded myself of the guilt which rose in me after having used such abusive language. I sincerely apologize for that- Vanavil
  
  
• From: Tolerance Noble Virtue (@ 216.174.105.165) on: Tue Sep 19 02:00:23 EDT 2000
  
  I am neither going to support nor oppose pennathur's views. But what is deplorable is the language that some Dfers have used to refute some (who am I kidding) all of his views. You paste a guys posting from another web page and unleash the worst sort of personal attack on him. If his views lack credibility and are childish overlook them. If you think they are incoherent facts then support your arguements with facts(as some of you have done). Let us all make the forum a place for every one to share their views. What good is it just to hear praisess and day in and day out. I request you to refrain from such attacks as that would make this site of repute into one of oblivion. All in my opinion...and for a better online tamil community.
  
  
• From: Ramesh Rajagopalan (@ 210.214.104.5) on: Tue Sep 19 05:47:27 EDT 2000
  
  Nice writing Suresh ! A good rebuttal to some of the worst trite hackneyed piece of criticism I have seen !
  Firstly I see no point of the article other than to discredit Ilayaraaja .
  The topic of his arrogance has been beaten to death.I sincerely doubt it . I guess as geniuses go he is eccentric and a reserved person .He does his work and does not resort to the cheap Publicity gimmicks as lots of people in the film industry do.
  Some of the replies were really good . The comparision of MGRs national award with Sivajis talent .....and humility being Devaa's forte...
  
  If any of you read up the life histories of the Classical masters ....Bach to Verdi to Tchaikovsky .you will find that many were not very well reagarded in their times .Now hundreds of years hence we remeber them only for theri GENIUS and thier MUSICAL WORKS ......Similarly for the MAESTRO'S LEGACY !!!!!!!
  
  
  
• From: kantimathi (@ 203.197.45.73) on: Sat Sep 23 03:57:18 EDT 2000
  
  Looks like lot of passionate (and in some cases, informed) dialogues have been exchanged. i feel bad that I couldn't keep track of this one. That apart, I agree with some of the participants about the quality of language used in the discussions.
  
  Preambles done, I would like to state a few facts. Pennathur has mentioned about popularity being the dipstick to genius. That's ridiculous, considering that communication and information infrastructure has exploded only during th ARR age!
  
  Dear Pennathur, have you forgotten that ARR was/is also backed by the marketing savvy of Manirathnam (MBA from Bajaj Institute, so he'd better be good in marketing) and Bharat Bala, who knows exactly how to package his products well? If Vande Mataram is a hit in London, it has to do with the slick packaging of the video, the savvy to get international distribution,and the know how to make all the promotional hullabaloo around it.
  
  IR has suffered the same fate as many other greats of the Tamil film industry (Sivaji Ganesan is an example that comes to the mind), who had to live with anonymity outside Tamil Nadu becoz there was no professional marketing available to them.
  
  I would also like to point out here that IR was responsible for bringing in a new wave in Tamil cinema, along with the likes of Bharathi Raja - bringing in the 'man vasanai', in a film industry that was groaning under 'drama'tism, rather than cinmeaism and realism. He single handedly rejuvenated interest in folk music, proving that the simple strains from rural Tamilnadu is NOT far away from Carnatic music. He thus gave a status and identity to folk music and musicians - please tell me what ARR has done to bring out a grass root revolution like this?
  
  I am NOT impressed by your Chaiwala in Bihar and Tangewala in Mussouri humming Chaiya Chaiya, becoz, the credit goes to Manirathnam's smartness in making the movie bi-lingual, and releasing it nationally, thus providing a perfect opportunity to the Biharis and the Mussoriites (not to mention obscure towns in Rajastan and yes, the fashionable clubs in London) to get to listen to ARRs music.
  
  
  
• From: namakkEn vambu? (@ 63.15.178.17) on: Sun Sep 24 22:23:04 EDT 2000
  
  sabaash! sariyaana pOtti!
  
  

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