Mani Ratnam and Ilaiyaraja's deep creative bond created classics like Nayakan and Thalapathi

It is a massive pity that Mani Ratnam stopped working with Ilaiyaraja. They are born on the same day June 2, and share a deep affinity for creating a texture of music that flows organically from the plot. There is nothing imposed or show-stopping about the stunning elegant songs Ilaiyaraja did for Mani Ratnam in Mouna Ragam, Nakshatram, Geethanjali and Anjali.


Each of these were musical milestones and Mani admitted in a past interaction that his early films would not have made the impact that they did were it not for Ilaiyaraja’s contribution.

Then came Mani’s Roja and a new composer called AR Rahman. Mani never looked back. Since Roja, it has been Rahman all the way, although none of Rahman’s scores for Ratnam barring Roja and Dil Se feature the supremely sublime sounds that Ilaiayarja created for Mani in Nayakan and Thalapathi.

When this observation was shared with Mani Ratnam, he had responded, “I am glad you think that way. My collaboration with Ilaiyaraja is not comparable with what Rahman does in my later film. It is two different dimensions of music. You cannot compare what Sachin Dev Burman did for Dev Anand’s cinema with what Rahul Dev Burman did.”