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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: me (@ 161.142.78.83) on: Mon Sep 4 06:12:45 EDT 2000
  
  let barking dogs bark!!!
  
  
• From: darul (@ 136.206.35.10) on: Mon Sep 4 07:09:36 EDT 2000
  
  I feel sorry for the people who push him down!
  I am very happy for my cool headed IR fans!
  Lets chap...keep cool..!Long live IR and his work!
  
  
• From: csg (@ 202.144.64.4) on: Mon Sep 4 07:30:43 EDT 2000
  
  guys IMHO i request you to stop comparing ARR and IR just for the reason that the number of movies composed by IR is much much higher than ARR,for this particular reason alone let us stop comparing ARR and IR
  
  
• From: pg (@ 205.208.102.55) on: Mon Sep 4 09:23:27 EDT 2000
  
  isai gnAni was deemed on iLaiyarAjA by none other than kalaignar karuNAnidhi.
  
  
• From: cram (@ 206.103.12.102) on: Mon Sep 4 10:33:27 EDT 2000
  
  subbu
  
  no, it wasn't umayalpuram sivaraman. i don't remember the gentleman's name, but i can find out (i know this through a friend who learnt mridangam from the said vidwan's son).
  
  
• From: RameshG (@ 24.24.215.231) on: Mon Sep 4 13:27:52 EDT 2000
  
  It is very disturbing when lot of ARR fans comment on IR's personal characteristics. I can understand if they compare their music abilities and say soemthing - but can't stand when they compare them otherwise - especially based on some stories in the press and rumors. How many of these have really met any or both of these musicians?.
  
  For some reason IR is made out to be an arrogant fellow (and that too in recent years - Why didnt somebody say this when he was in his peak?!!). In some other thread I saw somebody arguing on the same lines that IR is arrogant. How many of these people have met IR personally to decide if he is arrogant or not?. People who have met him like cram and csg and few others in this forum don't seem to think so. why is that?. Not even in TF has anybody said that 'IR is arrogant'. Many have had various differences with him but they still talk about him with respect (including VM).
  
  So please abstain from disussing anything about personal characteritics, atleast in this forum. Let us keep their discussion on their music skills and abilities.
  
  
• From: KSS (@ 152.163.207.194) on: Mon Sep 4 15:37:26 EDT 2000
  
  And about Ilaiyaraaja and MSV, there IS a special understanding between them. In interviews, Ilaiyaraaja has fondly spoken of the MSV songs he liked and the admiration he held for him. The song "Vaa Vennilaa" from Mella Thiranthadhu Kadhavu (by MSV and IR) was taken at the insistence of IR from MSVs "Vaan Meethile"
  
  Also, Pudhu Maapillaikku from Apoorva Sahodharargal was inspired from "Naan Paarthadhile" by MSV.
  
  Isn't this open admiration enough ?
  
  
• From: KSS (@ 152.163.207.194) on: Mon Sep 4 15:42:13 EDT 2000
  
  And one more thing. GKV was with Ilaiyaraaja for almost all recordings till he was healthy. He even accompanied Raja to Bombay for some Hindi recordings. And I have seen Raja ask GKV how the song was after it was recorded. Even when Raja was at his peak, he asked GKV for his opinion. The fact remains that Raja has never been one to discuss personal relationships in the open. Thats all.
  
  
• From: kk (@ 172.147.48.58) on: Mon Sep 4 22:51:53 EDT 2000
  
  These guys cant take two sites just saying sales were down for past few films?!. But why throwing mud on raja?. you guys betters post your replys in the original site than here.
  
  
• From: NANBAN (@ 203.197.154.235) on: Tue Sep 5 00:50:19 EDT 2000
  
  "Sites like aaraamthinai and indiainfo seem to be publishing motivated stuff about rahman. "
  OH! NOW ONLY I UNDERSTAND THAT AARAMTHINAI AND INDIAINFO ARE THE DICTIONARIES FOR MUSIC.
  
  "The comparisons that some people wouldn't like to make are as follows:"
  
  YES.OFCOURSE THESE TYPE OF "SH T" CAN BE
  MADE BY ONLY "SOME SPECIAL PEOPLE"(WHO ARE ENOUOGH QUALIFIED TO BE ADMITTED IN SOME
  MENTAL HOSPITAL)
  
  "how many of you know that the title Isaignani was self-anointed?"
  SURE. NONE OF US IN THIS UNIVERSE KNOW THIS EXCEPT THIS GREAT GUY.(WHO KNOWS? HE MAY BE PERSONELY WENT TO IR AND CLARIFIED WITH THIS)
  
  "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"
  YEAH.NO ONE IN THE PRESS EVER MET IR. AND ARR IS GIVING AN INTERVIEW FOR EVERY HALF AN HOUR.
  
  "But have you ever heard him acknowledging his own guru"
  
  I HEARD THAT THOUSAND TIMES. BUT ITS A WONDER THAT YOU DIDNT HEARD IT.WASH THE "SH T" AWAY FROM YOUR EARS AND TRY AGAIN MAY BE YOU WILL GET IT.
  
  "At least two songs in the movie were composed by Rahman"
  
  "GUYS! DO YOU KNOW ONETHING? THERE IS A
  YOUNG MAN NAMED KUPPUSWAMY IN ARR'S TROOP.ACTUALLY ALL THE SONGS CAME IN THE NAME OF ARR ARE COMPOSED BY THAT KUPPUSWAMY ONLY.BUT KUPPU WILL COME OUT AND DO MUSIC IN HIS OWN NAME, ONLY AFTER 2009. ON THAT DAY YOU ALL WILL KNOW HOW BAD ARR IS."
  
  ...SOUNDS LIKE A MAD MAN? OFCOURSE ITS TRUE.SOMEONE SUGGEST PENNATHUR A GOOD MENTAL
  HOSPITAL.
  
  "Rahman was the guy who taught Ilayaraja to use multi-track recording"
  
  HEY! ARR IS THE ONE WHO TAUGHT BRADMAN TO PLAY CRICKET!ARR IS THE ONE WHO TAUGHT PELE ABOUT FOOTBALL.AND I AM THE ONE WHO TAUGHT MOZART ABOUT MUSIC @!@#$%##....HEEY!!....^^^^()!!@@@@####!!~~I AM THE GREAT %%%%!!!@@@@@@### ARR IS THE GREAT!!!HOOO@@@@@... JIJINACCKAN...DRRRRR...
  
  
  "Rahman continues to be a gracious man and participates in free events"
  
  YES.YES.AND HE IS SACRIFICING ALL THE MONEY HE IS GETTING TO CHILD WELFARE AND BECAUSE OF THAT HE IS EATING ONLY TWO TIMES A DAY BECAUSE HE HAD
  NO MONEY NOW.SO YOU CAN CALL ARR AS "RAHMAN GHANDHI" OR "RAHMAN TERASA"
  
  "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?"
  
  YES.YES. IR NEVER SPEAK TO COMMAN PEOPLE BUT THE GREAT ARR IS COMING OUT OF HIS HOUSE
  EVERYDAY MORNING AND DANCING WITH THE POOR PEOPLE.OH! GREAT ARR!! INDIA LIVES BECAUSE
  OF ARR!!!
  
  "Captain Magal" when Bharatiraja threw Raja off the sets for monkeying around"
  
  YES.YES. THIS GREAT PENNATHUR(THU!!)IS THE GUARDIAN OF BHARATHIRAJA. SO HE KNOWS THE REASON VERY WELL!
  HMM... OTHERS LIKE WE ARE ALL FOOLS.
  
  IMPORTANT NOTE: HAVING NOTE ALL THE STATEMENTS, IT
  IS CONFIRMED THAT MR.PENNATHUR IS A GUY WHO ESCAPED FROM A MENTAL HOSPITAL.SO TRY TO
  AVOID GOING NEAR TO HIM. THANKS.
  
  
• From: Dhrohi (@ 202.188.102.138) on: Tue Sep 5 01:25:03 EDT 2000
  
  NANBAN
  You are no better
  
  

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