Director Karthik Subbaraj teams up with maestro Ilaiyaraaja for next Tamil film, Guneet Monga to produce

Director Karthik Subbaraj is set to collaborate with veteran music composer Ilaiyaraaja for his next Tamil feature film. It will mark the director's 10th film and the composer's 1540th project.

Karthik Subbaraj called his collaboration with Ilaiyaraaj a "dream come true" moment of his life. Taking to his Instagram handle, the director shared a short video featuring his meeting with the music composer. In the clip, Ilaiyaraaja was seen playing a piano and interacting with Karthik Subbaraj.




While sharing the video, Subbaraj wrote "A Dream.... A Blessing..." on his project with Ilaiyaraaja.


The movie is backed by Jio Studios and Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain's Sikhya Entertainment.

Speaking about the project, Maestro Ilaiyaraaja said that he is happy to collaborate with Karthik Subbaraj while praising his "passion for cinema."

"Cinema and music have always shared a deep emotional connection for me. What matters most is the honesty of the story and the people telling it. I'm happy to collaborate with Karthik Subbaraj, whose passion for cinema is very evident in his work for this film. Every film brings its own feeling and its own music. And during the composition sessions for the background scores I felt the audio should be released as an album itself as it has shaped up so well that am confident my fans will enjoy it. I hope this journey will create something that reaches people's hearts," said Ilaiyaaraja as quoted in a press note.

Speaking about the collaboration, filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj said, "Working with the legendary Ilaiyaraaja sir has been a lifelong dream, and to finally have The Maestro compose music for my 10th film feels surreal and deeply special. As someone who has admired and celebrated his music for years, this collaboration means a great deal to me personally and creatively. I'm also excited to be joining hands with Sikhya Entertainment and Jio Studios on this film, alongside Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain. I can't wait for audiences to experience what we're creating together," as quoted in a press note shared by the makers.

Speaking about the project, producer Guneet Monga Kapoor said, "This one feels deeply personal to all of us at Sikhya. Karthik Subbaraj is one of the most distinctive voices in Indian cinema today, and to see him finally make a film with Ilaiyaraaja sir, whose music has shaped generations of storytellers and cinema lovers alike, is genuinely exciting. And doing this alongside Jio Studios, our first collaboration together, makes it even more so. We back creative partnerships that feel inevitable in hindsight. This one does," as quoted in a press note.

Karthik Subbaraj's last directorial was 'Retro', which starred Jyothika and Suriya in the lead roles. It was released in 2025. The director is known for helming films like 'Petta', 'Jigarthanda', 'Mahaan' and others.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”