Originally posted by: sonyaee
I read this interview a few days ago. Talk about being prolific-he has composed 848 films according to the article. Amazing!
The Prince in Mumbai
Rajiv VijayakarPosted online: Friday, July 21, 2006 at 0000 hours ISTHe made his debut down South in 1975 with Annakilli. When in Hindi film music, Laxmikant-Pyarelal's record of 480-plus films remains unbeaten, Ilayaraja has extended the parameters of the word 'prolific' by scoring a mind-boggling 848 films in two-thirds of their time period. The man under whom A.R.Rahman learnt the practical ropes, Ilayaraja made his Hindi debut in 1983 with Romu N.Sippy's Sadma, some more films like Kam-Agni (1987), Mahaadev (1989),Shiva (1990) and dubbed and bi-lingual films from the South that ranged from the B-graders of the '70s and early '80s to prestigious ventures that include Appu Raja, Mayor Saab, Anjali, Dal-Pati, Velu Nayakan, Sazaa-E-Kaala Pani and Hey!Ram down to last year's Mumbai Xpress. The whizkid from Chennai, who has also had the distinction of working on a symphony at London's Royal Philharmonic, now scores Cheeni Kum, the romantic comedy starring Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Paresh Rawal and Zohra Sehgal.
In an exclusive with Screen, the master maestro discusses matters musical. Excerpts:
You have not been exactly keen about Hindi films. What has made you take up Cheeni Kum?
I have not been against doing Hindi films, which is why I have done a few when I was approached for them! (Smiles). I was not approached by Hindi film producers, that's all. But Cheeni Kum appealed to me because of the freshness in the script. It's not the usual kind of story but one that touches horizons not explored till now. The placement of songs was also interesting. Finally, director Balki is my fan and he also was very insistent that I do the film. You see, it's not doing just another film that excites me after so much work. Any film that is offered to me must make me think, "I must do this film!"
Who is your lyricist in Cheeni Kum?
Sameer was a mutual choice between everyone. We wanted simple, meaningful songs in the common-man's language. I had worked with him before in Hey!Ram and knew that he could do meaningful verse.
In terms of musical scope, this is probably your first Hindi film after Sadma. Was there any difference in the way you approached or executed the music?
Except that I have tried to give a new sound for the national audience without losing my identity, there is no difference in my approach. All the songs are a part of the story but there is no lip-sync in any of them.
Personally I do no think that any differences are needed just because the language of a film changes. Every audience likes anything good. (Smiles) If you recall, my songs have already worked in a big way in the 1990s when certain people here used a lot of my tunes!
How familiar are you with Hindi film music directors from among the seniors? Do you have any favourites among them?
Favourites? You will have to write down a whole list of them from Khemchand Prakash and Naushad down to all the others! I cannot single out any of them. Why, I have walked on the roads that they all travelled. By the same token, I have immense respect for the great music directors of every region.
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Did you have the opportunity to interact with any of them?
I was on very good terms with Naushad-saab. I remember he used to always compliment me on my work. When he came to Chennai for some recording he called me up from the airport and expressed a desire to meet up. When we did, he told me that many of the young music directors from Mumbai were making money from my songs! I also met Ravisaab once, and I recall R.D.Burman coming to one of my recordings when he was doing some work in Chennai and came to know that I was recording nearby. To my amazement, he began to dance in glee in the studio when my song was being played. He said, "This is music that is 50 years ahead of our times!"
All this shows that you have been a keen and extensive listener of Hindi film music.
Yes, for me music has no language!
848 films in 32 years in 5 languages is an amazing achievement. How do you manage this?
I am into music from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday. Actually the composing part takes just 45 minutes. Orchestration also takes me about 45 minutes per song. The rest of the time is taken by rehearsals and the actual recording. I can compose 6 songs easily in one sitting. For me it is not difficult to compose 20-25 songs in one day with the director's acceptance! And when I say 'acceptance', it means that I do not have to do any convincing or persuade him in any way!
This phenomenal gift - how much of it is natural and how much is training?
Obviously it is coming from up there, otherwise how does one explain it? I know only this much about music (presses his thumb and first finger together) and out of that I have used only a little in my music!
Surely all this cannot happen without a basic knowledge of musical raags etc.?
My brother, Pavalar Varadarajan, was a master-poet and a singer who had a fabulous collection of folk songs. From him I came to know a bit about raags. Seriously speaking, it was only after I became a music director that I realized how much I had learnt from him - till that time I did not even know it!
What about the technicalities?
I assisted the Kannada music director G.K.Venkatesh in 200 films, most of which were in Kannada with a few in Telugu and Tamil. I was working as a guitarist with him from 1969 to 1974. In fact even after my debut in 1975 I worked with him for a film or two.
A.R.Rahman was your assistant later. How do you rate him as a composer?
Rahman was a keyboardist with me. I do not think that I was his teacher too in the classical sense. Rahman is doing good work - but he has been made to do a lot of things that give people a wrong impression of his music.
What is your own take on musical trends?
For me music is something that must take the listener to a different subconscious level. The mind must be engulfed by the melody and must make you ask the question, "Is there a connection with this and me? Why do I feel that this music is close to me, not just today, but in several past births?"
You see when you talk with someone, there are ways of conveying things best. Good music should convey best the emotions that are being expressed by the words or the situation.
When you ask me about trends, I say, there are no trends. There is only a'system' in place at any given time!
How true is it that the South has become so heavily oriented to electronics that there is a paucity of 'live' musicians, especially percussionists?
I think that there are many more 'live' musicians in the South compared to over here. A musician's art should be honed by his proper use and exploitation by a composer. Today some of them are being rusted or compromised because there are music directors who do not have basic knowledge and fail to use them the right way, thereby shackling their potential.
As is the case here with a Naushad-Shakeel or a Shankar-Jaikishan-Hasrat Jaipuri-Shailendra, have you formed a prolific team with anyone in Southern cinema?
No, I do not believe in teams because I like working with a broader spectrum of lyricists - in short, with everyone.
In your long career, who are the singers and lyricists you have introduced or given breakthroughs?
It is not correct that I speak about them.It is for them to acknowledge my role if they want to (Smiles). But among those singers Mumbai is familiar with, there is Chitra.
You have a very close association with Kamal Haasan.
Yes, we have done more than 100 films together. When he makes a Hindi version, I always am involved in its music dubbing. Otherwise, I do not attend the Hindi versions' recordings of my films.
Are you doing any other Hindi film?
Yes, I am doing six songs for Ram Gopal Varma's Shiva.
But that is an action-based film.
Yes, but I will be looking after the romantic angle while he looks after his! (Laughs).
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