Ilaiyaraaja
Sound
🎂 1943-06-03
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer who works in the South Indian cinema predominantly in Tamil since mid 1970s. Widely regarded as one of the the greatest Indian music composers of all time, Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, singer, and songwriter. He has composed more than 6500 songs and provided film scores for more than 1000 films, also being acclaimed for his exceptional background scores. Singers S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra and S. Janaki have sung more of his songs than any other singers. He integrated folk—in Tamil—and introduced western musical sensibilities into the South Indian musical mainstream. Ilaiyaraja is also known for creating music by fusing symphonic orchestration with traditional Indian instrumentation, often performed by Budapest Symphony Orchestra. In 1993 he organised a full symphony performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London and thus became the First Indian to compose a full symphony, with Ravi Shankar being the only other Indian to do so. He is also the first Asian to compose a full symphony performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He has won five Indian National Film Awards (the highest film honor in India); three for Best Music Direction and two for Best Background Score. In 2010 he has received Padma Bhushan, awarded by the Government of India. In the 2000s, he composed a variety of non-film music, including religious and devotional songs, an oratorio, and world music. He is usually referred to by the title Isaignani (English: Musical Genius), or as The Maestro. Ilaiyaraja is a gold medalist in classical guitar from Trinity College of Music, London. In 2003, according to an international poll conducted by BBC, more than half-a million people from 165 countries voted his composition Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu from the 1991 film Thalapathi as the fourth in the world's top 10 most popular songs of all time. He was also nominated in the Best Indian album Music Awards category at US based Just Plain Folks Music Organization, which is the largest grassroots music organization in the world, and stood third for his "Music Journey: Live in Italy". In 2012 he received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his creative and experimental works in music field. In 2014 he has been chosen for his outstanding contribution to the Indian film music and was awarded the SIES Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati National Eminence award. In 2015, he was also honoured with the Centenary Award for lifetime achievement at the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at Panaji, Goa. On December 31, 2015, he was nominated by the Kerala Government for Nishagandi Puraskaram, the top award conferred by the Kerala Government's Tourism Ministry, for his artistic excellence and contributions to the Indian film industry. Popular world cinema portal Taste of Cinema placed Ilaiyaraja at the 9th position in its list of 25 greatest film composers in the cinema history thus becoming the only Indian to feature in that list. In a poll conducted by CNN-IBN celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema in 2013, Ilaiyaraaja was voted as the greatest music composer of India with a maximum of 49%.
Cast credits(6)
Sound (728)
Original Music Composer
2023
Original Music Composer
1994
Original Music Composer
1991
Original Music Composer
1992
Playback Singer
2019
Original Music Composer
2020
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
2024
Playback Singer
2023
Original Music Composer
2023
Music
1984
Original Music Composer
2004
Playback Singer
2004
Playback Singer
2023
Original Music Composer
2023
Playback Singer
2007
Original Music Composer
2009
Original Music Composer
1987
Playback Singer
1987
Original Music Composer
1996
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
2023
Original Music Composer
1988
Playback Singer
2018
Playback Singer
2007
Original Music Composer
1994
Original Music Composer
2015
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1978
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
1991
Playback Singer
1991
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
1990
Playback Singer
1990
Original Music Composer
2001
Original Music Composer
1988
Original Music Composer
2015
Music
2002
Original Music Composer
1978
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
2013
Original Music Composer
2015
Original Music Composer
1987
Original Music Composer
2009
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
2016
Music
1996
Original Music Composer
2016
Original Music Composer
1994
Original Music Composer
2000
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
2011
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1992
Music
1998
Original Music Composer
1986
Playback Singer
2006
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
2006
Original Music Composer
2009
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1980
Music
2016
Original Music Composer
2011
Original Music Composer
2016
Original Music Composer
2007
Original Music Composer
1991
Original Music Composer
1988
Music
1992
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1984
Original Music Composer
1999
Original Music Composer
1978
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
1994
Original Music Composer
1991
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
2022
Original Music Composer
2012
Original Music Composer
1988
Playback Singer
1988
Music
1989
Music
1982
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
2016
Original Music Composer
2003
Music
2000
Original Music Composer
1981
Playback Singer
2001
Music
1992
Music Co-Supervisor
1987
Music
1982
Original Music Composer
1985
Original Music Composer
2022
Original Music Composer
2011
Original Music Composer
1994
Music
2013
Playback Singer
2013
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
2008
Playback Singer
2008
Original Music Composer
1986
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
2025
Original Music Composer
2010
Original Music Composer
2016
Music
2015
Original Music Composer
2017
Music
1987
Original Music Composer
1985
Original Music Composer
1985
Original Music Composer
1996
Music
1992
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1994
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
1994
Music
1984
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
2009
Music
1988
Original Music Composer
1996
Music
1987
Original Music Composer
1998
Original Music Composer
1994
Music
1994
Original Music Composer
1985
Playback Singer
2022
Original Music Composer
2022
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
1988
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
2002
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1985
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
2008
Music
1993
Music
1993
Music Director
1988
Original Music Composer
2006
Original Music Composer
1997
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1991
Music
1984
Music
1988
Music
1992
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
Playback Singer
Original Music Composer
1984
Original Music Composer
1980
Original Music Composer
1987
Music
1985
Music
1990
Music
1987
Original Music Composer
1992
Music
2012
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
2001
Original Music Composer
1982
Music
1988
Original Music Composer
Music
1999
Original Music Composer
2021
Original Music Composer
1984
Original Music Composer
2025
Original Music Composer
1977
Original Music Composer
1988
Music
1988
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
2014
Original Music Composer
1986
Music
1989
Music
1988
Music
1988
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1992
Music
1990
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
2017
Original Music Composer
2018
Music
1988
Songs
1995
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
2023
Music
1984
Music
1987
Music
2002
Music
1985
Music
1993
Original Music Composer
1994
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
1995
Music
2007
Music
1979
Music Director
2007
Music
1995
Original Music Composer
2022
Original Music Composer
1993
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
2007
Original Music Composer
1995
Music
1984
Music
2017
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1995
Music
1997
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
2025
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
1980
Music
2006
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
2014
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
2023
Original Music Composer
2021
Playback Singer
2021
Original Music Composer
2023
Original Music Composer
2003
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
1987
Music
1994
Music
1988
Original Music Composer
2002
Music
1992
Original Music Composer
2022
Original Music Composer
2009
Music
1987
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1982
Music
1993
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
1980
Original Music Composer
1998
Playback Singer
2008
Original Music Composer
1993
Music
1992
Music
1978
Music
1984
Original Music Composer
2005
Original Music Composer
1987
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
2010
Playback Singer
2010
Original Music Composer
1997
Music
1982
Original Music Composer
2016
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1985
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1993
Original Music Composer
1995
Original Music Composer
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
2024
Music
1987
Music
1992
Original Music Composer
2000
Music
1995
Original Music Composer
1980
Music
1995
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1995
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
1992
Music
1999
Music
1996
Music
1988
Original Music Composer
1987
Music
2000
Original Music Composer
2007
Music
1993
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
2016
Original Music Composer
1988
Original Music Composer
1984
Original Music Composer
1980
Original Music Composer
1981
Playback Singer
2005
Original Music Composer
2005
Music
1979
Music
2003
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1993
Original Music Composer
2004
Original Music Composer
2018
Original Music Composer
1982
Music
2001
Music
1982
Music
1993
Music
1981
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
1979
Original Music Composer
1993
Music
1988
Music
1993
Original Music Composer
Playback Singer
Music
1984
Music
1984
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
2024
Playback Singer
2024
Music
1983
Music
1995
Original Music Composer
2025
Music
2012
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
1994
Music
1987
Music
1984
Music
1990
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1988
Music
2009
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1978
Original Music Composer
1987
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
1999
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1979
Music
1987
Original Music Composer
2021
Original Music Composer
1985
Original Music Composer
1983
Music
1979
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1980
Music
1988
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
1987
Music
1986
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
1984
Original Music Composer
1983
Music
1999
Playback Singer
1979
Original Music Composer
1979
Original Music Composer
1990
Music
2017
Music
1991
Music
1992
Music
1984
Music
1985
Music
2015
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1985
Music Director
1980
Original Music Composer
1991
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1984
Original Music Composer
1992
Music
1985
Music
1993
Original Music Composer
1990
Music
1987
Music Director
2023
Music Director
1986
Original Music Composer
1986
Music
1979
Original Music Composer
2019
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
1993
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
1978
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
Music
1991
Music
1994
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1979
Music
2005
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
1991
Music
1992
Music
1999
Music Director
1979
Music
1983
Music
1984
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1998
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1991
Original Music Composer
1983
Music
1981
Original Music Composer
1992
Music
1978
Original Music Composer
1983
Music
1979
Music
2000
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1993
Original Music Composer
1980
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1998
Original Music Composer
1992
Music
1993
Music
1981
Music
1989
Music
1987
Original Music Composer
1977
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1985
Music
1981
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
2016
Original Music Composer
2006
Music
1986
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1990
Music
1992
Original Music Composer
1991
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
2018
Original Music Composer
1978
Original Music Composer
2022
Playback Singer
1997
Music
1980
Original Music Composer
2016
Music
1981
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1981
Music
2011
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
1993
Original Music Composer
1993
Music
1984
Music
2013
Music
1993
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1997
Music
2012
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1983
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
1996
Music
2008
Original Music Composer
1991
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
1979
Music
1993
Music
2002
Original Music Composer
1983
Music
1992
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1998
Original Music Composer
1990
Music Director
1989
Music
1983
Music
2005
Music
1995
Original Music Composer
1990
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1993
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1999
Music
1983
Music
1982
Music
1997
Music
1978
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1991
Music Director
1991
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1986
Music
1982
Original Music Composer
1983
Original Music Composer
1988
Playback Singer
1988
Music
1999
Music
1982
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
1995
Original Music Composer
2007
Music
2002
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
2025
Original Music Composer
2016
Original Music Composer
1987
Music
1994
Music
1985
Music
1979
Original Music Composer
2000
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
2009
Original Music Composer
1977
Music
2005
Music
2001
Music
1978
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1993
Original Music Composer
1995
Original Music Composer
1980
Original Music Composer
1986
Music
1998
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
1981
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1999
Music
1994
Music
1978
Original Music Composer
2008
Music
1991
Music
2004
Music
1994
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
2023
Original Music Composer
2001
Music
1982
Original Music Composer
1994
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
1977
Music
1988
Original Music Composer
1995
Original Music Composer
1984
Music
2012
Original Music Composer
1991
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
1991
Original Music Composer
1991
Music
1996
Original Music Composer
1987
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1982
Music
1982
Original Music Composer
2022
Playback Singer
2022
Music
1988
Music
1982
Music
1992
Original Music Composer
1985
Music Director
1995
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
1990
Music
2003
Original Music Composer
1986
Music
1992
Music
2013
Music
1988
Music
1985
Music
1995
Original Music Composer
1997
Original Music Composer
1979
Original Music Composer
1990
Music
1984
Music
1992
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
1980
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
1985
Original Music Composer
1993
Original Music Composer
1980
Music
1990
Music
1992
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1985
Playback Singer
2004
Music
1988
Music
1982
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
1983
Original Music Composer
1991
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
1999
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
2017
Music
1991
Music
1983
Music
1996
Music
1982
Music
1999
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
2001
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
1981
Original Music Composer
1983
Music
1983
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
1987
Original Music Composer
1994
Music
2009
Music
1999
Music
1985
Music
1983
Music
1984
Music
1994
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
2015
Original Music Composer
2005
Music
1989
Original Music Composer
1976
Original Music Composer
2011
Original Music Composer
1986
Original Music Composer
1990
Original Music Composer
1992
Music
1978
Original Music Composer
2025
Original Music Composer
1983
Original Music Composer
1978
Music
1984
Original Music Composer
2000
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1992
Music
1985
Music
2010
Original Music Composer
1989
Music
1995
Music
1998
Original Music Composer
2010
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1977
Music
1979
Original Music Composer
2000
Original Music Composer
1990
Music
1984
Music
1984
Original Music Composer
2017
Original Music Composer
1981
Original Music Composer
1991
Music
2011
Music
1983
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
1977
Music
1980
Music
1987
Music
1995
Music
1993
Music
1991
Music
1992
Music
1989
Music
2012
Music Director
2025
Music
1980
Music
1987
Music
2007
Music
1984
Music
1987
Music
1994
Music
1979
Original Music Composer
1982
Original Music Composer
1989
Original Music Composer
1985
Music
1993
Music
1987
Music
1983
Music
1991
Original Music Composer
1987
Music
1988
Original Music Composer
1988
Original Music Composer
2000
Music
2014
Music
1994
Original Music Composer
2017
Music
1992
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1987
Original Music Composer
1987
Music
2009
Music
1988
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1997
Original Music Composer
1980
Music
1998
Music
1986
Original Music Composer
1997
Original Music Composer
1997
Original Music Composer
1981
Music
1988
Music
1991
Music
1987
Original Music Composer
1979
Original Music Composer
1993
Music
2009
Music
1986
Music
1985
Original Music Composer
1997
Music
1979
Original Music Composer
1988
Music
2014
Original Music Composer
1983
Original Music Composer
1985
Original Music Composer
1992
Original Music Composer
1986
Music
1990
Original Music Composer
1998
Original Music Composer
1999
Music
1989
Music
1990
Music Director
2003
Music
1989
Music