IsaiGnani's Memorable Background Scores. Review on Illayaraja

In a list of 100 Greatest Film Score Composers, only 2 Indians figure, one is of course A.R.Rehman and the other is a man whose middle name spells “Genius”.  A maestro called Ilayaraja.  Mixing up a medley of  native folk tunes, Western classical rythms, synthesizer beats, pure Indian classical stuff, he created a music, which has it’s own stamp. But more than his memorable songs, his greatest contribution has been to an aspect, which somehow never really got the attention it deserved in Indian cinema, the background music. Many of the olden composers churned out excellent and memorable songs, but somehow their background scores have never been memorable. Barring a few directors like Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Satyajit Ray, not many directors paid attention to this aspect. This article is about some memorable background scores of the music maestro Ilayaraja. What I am putting here is a very humble attempt to showcase the genius of this man.

Pithamagan(Tamil)- The movie is the story of Chithan( Vikram), a guy who grows up in a graveyard, without any contact with the outside world. He does not know how to behave like a normal human being, and most of the time he just grunts. The local ganja smugglers use him as a courier for their smuggling. This is one of the best scenes in the movie, and where IR’s music, just gives that tempo for it. As the mules loaded with ganja, make their way across, the hilly terrain, with couriers, and Chithan, just following them, the music slowly starts off with a normal beat. We see the camera zooming in and out, with close up shots of the hills, and the party crossing the streams. IR’s music wonderfully blends in with the atmosphere. Then one of the informers spot the gang, and tells the cops. Now as the cops close in, and the jeeps come in, the music suddenly changes to a fast beat, touching a high crescendo. Just brilliant, this entire scene has a pretty much Hollywoodish feel to it. Just watch this athttps://youtube.com/watch?v=J9c7mUqWb-o-.

Idhayam(Tamil)- A beautiful love story, narrated with a sensitivity and sensibility, not often seen in the standard Tamil movie.  The hero( Murali), a medical student  is deeply in love with his class mate (Heera). Before the college ends, he proposes to her, she however does not reciprocate immediately, as she is unable to make up her mind. The next day she comes to college, and we see the hero’s anxiety there. And that’s where IR takes up the music, giving a slow, mournful score. As the hero expresses conflicting feeling of anxiety and restlessness, IR goes along with the mood, through a series of modulations. No dialogues spoken here, but the music score, brilliantly builds up the mood, and after some time we the audience, feel our heart’s beating, wondering “Will she? Wont she?”. As she walks away from him, the anxiety is beautifully captured by IR, and when she looks at him, he somehow senses all is lost, and the music hits a pathos level. Wonderful scene, with excellent direction by Kadhir, and of course the maestro’s brilliant score here. Watch  this at https://youtube.com/watch?v=IjKAXSpfLPw-.

Thevar Magan(Tamil)-  The Tamil original of Virasat, directed by Bharathan, had the two great talents of Kamal Hassan and Shivaji Ganesan facing off on screen. In a way it was the master and the disciple, coming together, as Kamal  idolized Shivaji a lot. And the combo did not disappoint with this movie, that is a masterpiece at all levels. And of course, with IR’s memorable musical score, being the icing on the cake. IR provided some wonderful background pieces, the flood scene, the climax, Sivaji’s death scene and Kamal taking over. But for me my favorite would be this scene. Kamal fixes Revathi’s marriage with a villager. However the groom runs away on the marriage day, due to threats from Kamal’s rival group. As Kamal reads the letter by the person, the music, slowly subdued, plays a soft melancholy note in the background. And when Revathi’s  father comes to know of it, he breaks down, accusing Kamal of ruining his daughter’s life. The music hits a high mournful note here, with the shehnai beat. As he walks away, Kamal stops him and agrees to marry Revathi, to atone for his mistake. Her father falls at his feet, and as their wedding takes place, we have the strains of “Manamegalai, Manamegalai”in the background. What I loved about in this scene, at no stage does IR allow the music to dominate, he keeps just right and subdued, but still gives the necessary effect. Kamal & Revathi on screen, IR off screen, sheer magic.  Watch this at https://youtube.com/watch?v=wSkprlG1yBM-.

Guna(Tamil)- Kamal again in a memorable performance as a psychotic character, who suffers from a delusion that he is Lord Shiva himself, and he will be married to the Goddess Abhirami. He however has this knack of opening any lock, and his uncle, exploits this to carry out robberies. His uncle brings him to the temple on the pretext that Abhirami will come there. As he keeps nagging his uncle, he tells Kamal that she will come in a procession. And then enters the heroine, followed by people in a procession. Kamal sees her, and finds his Abhirami in her. As he looks at her wonderstruck, IR chips in with a classical score,  using the shehnai to good effect. The entire score beautifully mixes the noisy temple atmosphere, and the sounds of the mantras, as Kamal keeps following the heroine around. And thenYesudas  beautifully brings out the devotion with “Partha Vizhi”. Check this at https://youtube.com/watch?v=tiLR8FAW6zc-.

Nayagan(Tamil)-  A movie that spelt classic right from the word go to the end credits. It could not have been otherwise, Kamal Hassan in acting, Maniratnam in direction, Ilayaraja in music, and P.C.Sriram in photography. A combination of 4 geniuses, and the result is there on the end screen.Nayagan was brilliantly directed by Mani, Kamal’s performance is one of the best you will see in a very long time, Sriram’s camerawork exceptional. And the maestro IR’s score, unforgettable. Be it the scene, where Kamal’s son is killed, or the scene where Kamal murders the police officer, or that where his wife is killed in a gang war, IR’s  background music is just sheer brilliance. My favorite scene is this. Kamal’s son has been charred to death in an accident. None of his gang members have the courage to tell him the truth. They bring him along, and inspite of his repeated queries, every one just turns away from him. Even his closest friend(Janakraj), does not  have the courage to tell him. He sees people mourning all around him. And then when he sees his daughter weeping, he fears the worst. And then when he sees his son’s charred body, he breaks down, and IR’s music, beautifully brings out the pathos here. He starts off with a deep piano note, then hits a series of notes, and ups it to a high pitch. Just priceless.