From Annakili in 1976 to a symphony in London in 2025, Ilaiyaraaja showed how music can become the heartbeat of a film. A fan’s look at his craft.
There are some sounds that instantly take me back to childhood: the radio in the morning, a bus stereo on a long journey, a wedding hall speaker. In so many of those memories, the music is by one man — Ilaiyaraaja, lovingly called Isaignani.
I am not a trained musician. I am just a listener who has spent years with his songs. In this article I want to share why his music matters so much to Tamil cinema, and what it teaches us about the role of music in films.
🎵 A Village Boy Who Changed the Sound of Cinema
Ilaiyaraaja’s first film as a composer was Annakili in 1976. Its songs carried the smell of the soil — folk rhythms and village life, presented with a freshness that audiences had not heard before. From there, he went on to compose for more than a thousand films across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi.
What made him special was the mix. He blended Tamil folk music, Carnatic ragas and Western classical ideas like counterpoint and orchestration — often in the same song — and made it sound natural.
🎻 Music That Tells the Story
For Ilaiyaraaja, music was not decoration. It was part of the storytelling. Think about how a film feels:
- A flute line can tell you a character is lonely before any dialogue does.
- A sudden silence can make a scene more powerful than any loud sound.
- A short tune repeated through the film can remind you of a relationship or a promise.
Many directors have said his background score lifted their films. Even simple scenes — someone walking home, a mother waiting at the door — became emotional because of the music under them. I explain more about this craft in how to notice background score and cinematography.
🏆 Honours and a Historic Symphony
His work has been recognised many times. He received National Film Awards for Saagara Sangamam, Sindhu Bhairavi and Rudraveena (Best Music Direction), and for Pazhassi Raja (Best Background Score). The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2010 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2018.
On March 8, 2025, his Western classical symphony Valiant was performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Eventim Apollo in London. For a composer who started with village tunes, this was a proud moment for music lovers everywhere.
“Good film music doesn’t ask for your attention. It quietly holds your heart while the story moves.”
🎧 How to Listen More Deeply
Next time you play an Ilaiyaraaja song, try this:
- Listen to the interludes — the music between the verses. That is where many of his best ideas live.
- Follow one instrument, like the bass guitar or the violins, through the whole song.
- Use good headphones. You will hear layers you missed on a phone speaker.
- Watch the scene after listening. Notice how the music matches the emotion on screen.
💡 What His Journey Teaches Us
Beyond music, his story carries simple life lessons:
- Your roots are your strength. He did not hide his village sound; he made it his signature.
- Discipline beats inspiration. Composing for so many films demands daily, focused work — something I touch on in deep work habits.
- Keep learning. Even after decades, he took on a symphony.
✨ Takeaway
Ilaiyaraaja taught generations of Tamil film lovers that music is the soul of a film. Play one of his songs tonight, close your eyes, and listen not just to the tune — but to the story it is telling.
Software engineer by skill, storyteller by soul. I write about life, health, money and technology from my own experience — and build free tools you can use every day.
