MAESTRO ILAIYARAAJA NEWS & TITBITS VER.2010-2011

[jaiganes]

Same here Suresh. Happi is the album I am looking forward to because it is special on many counts:

1. Raaja's Hindi album - To see what Raaja does in Hindi where tamil tunes are not rehashed (i think this film has fresh tunes). So it is like starting with a clean slate, on an unfamiliar territory.

2. collaboration with a Hindi/North India based film-maker - I always wanted to see what the film-makers based in Bombay/delhi would like hear from Raaja. What can they extract from him? Or rather what can Raaja deliver to their sensibilities? Given that he somehow could not make any significant inroads into Hindi film music (despite being respected by them), this film is a litmus test to see if he can tame that game or not. His previous hindi films are mostly by South Indian film-makers (Balu Mahendra, Kamal Haasan, Ramgopal Varma and Balki - tamilian anyway,though he made hindi films). Somewhere, Raaja understood their thoughts and the language of their needs and catered accordingly. But this time - it is a different game.

3. Sensibilities of film-maker - Bhavana Talwar's previous film 'Dharm' did impress me. Though Raaja has some experience of working with women film-makers (no discrimination as such, but it is always interesting to see the taste of a woman film-maker) such as the lady who made Vishwa Tulasi, this time, he is collaborating with a woman film-maker (who is into non-commercial films) whose preferences seem to be western classical music and the music of S.D.Burman & Madan Mohan (from the interview of Bhavana Talwar).

4. Experimental Film - This is a non-commercial/experimental/parallel cinema kind of film that is now being turned into Black & white. The songs are sung by lead actor Pankaj Kapoor, who has probably never sung before.

Given these factors and context, in my opinion, this should be the most awaited album for Ilaiyaraaja fans. If Raaja breaks the myth (that he couldnt cater to Hindi sensibilities), then it could be a big turning point for his career as well. I am doubtful if the film will be successful enough to spin its music sales too. But still, if music lovers appreciate the album - it will be an achievement and prove his detractors wrong.

No need to be apprehensive about Raja working with women film makers.
He has done tremendous work for B.R.Vijayalakshmi in "Paattu paadavaa" and the score he gave for suhasini's penn TV episode was hair rising.
Even recently, he gave the superb "Enge nee sendraalum" and couple of other good songs for Leena moovendhar in "KannukkuLLe" (note to A_E - I am biased, but not to lose my musical ear totally).
Also Raja saranam would vouch for the music Raaja gave for "Akka mahadevi verses" for a documentary shot by a woman director (i dont remember her name here).