Ilayaraja Declares None Like Him Before or After
Ilayaraja is a name known to anyone familiar with film music. He is renowned as a wizard of melodies. There was a time when his name alone on a film poster would draw audiences to theatres. Several films became successful because of his music, and many actors gained popularity through the songs he composed. Very few music directors are known to compose tunes with the same speed and brilliance as Ilayaraja.
In a recent interview, Ilayaraja stated, “Those who possess deep knowledge must speak for themselves, or no one will know about them. In that sense, I must speak for myself. When it comes to me, there is no one like me in this world. If you ask whether there will be anyone like me in the future, I will say no. And if you ask whether there was anyone like me before, I will again say no.”
He added, “There are many great people in the field of film music. However, all of them considered someone as their guru and learned from them. After gaining substantial experience, they started composing music. But I am not like that. I did not learn from anyone. I was born and raised in a remote village, where there was no opportunity to learn music. It was from such a background that I reached this position. The reason for this, I believe, is God. I always consider this to be a divine gift.”