‘Raja Kaiya Vacha’: The Ilaiyaraaja magic Malayalam music didn’t know it needed

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In many ways, the song filled a gap in the hearts of listeners that they didn’t even know existed. Truth be told, Raja Kaiya Vacha (If Raja lays his hands), the songs would quietly fill the voids in our hearts. Although the industry had many filmmakers focused solely on commercial ventures, it was in Vyaamoham (1978) helmed by cinema legend KG George that Ilaiyaraaja made his debut in Malayalam. By then, he was already making significant strides in Tamil cinema. Among the tracks he composed for Vyaamoham, “Poovaadikalil” and “Neeyo Njaano” stood out for their unconventional pacing and composition.

Given that Malayalam cinema already boasted several talented composers and with Raaja quickly becoming a sensation across South India, with the Telugu and Kannada industries also eager to work with him, he did not return to Malayalam cinema for some time. Yet, Raaja was not someone one could ignore. He kept delivering astonishing work, one composition after another, in all languages. Regardless of the film’s genre or the emotional context, Ilaiyaraaja consistently crafted jaw-dropping songs.

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What set him apart wasn’t just the melody; it was the intricate sangathis and subtle nuances embedded in each track, combined with his extraordinary orchestration skills. These elements made Raaja even more popular. With Malayalees’ beloved singers like S Janaki, KJ Yesudas, SP Balasubrahmanyam and Vani Jairam, among others, delivering some of their finest performances in collaboration with him, it didn’t take Malayali filmmakers long to realise that this was not ‘just another music composer’.

However, it took some time for Ilaiyaraaja to truly settle into the Malayalam industry and get his first major breakthrough. That moment came with director Balu Mahendra’s Olangal (1982). It was a perfect platform for Raaja to bring out his A-game, and he did, and how. Not just one, but all three songs in the album — “Kuliradunnu Maanathu”, “Thumbi Vaa Thumbakudathin” and “Vezhaambal Kezhum Venalkkudeeram” — became evergreen classics, celebrated to this day for their beauty and emotional depth. Each track, set against a different emotional backdrop, struck the perfect musical and emotional chords. Thus, he effortlessly carved his place permanently in the hearts of the audiences here.

Just as much as he tried to understand the regional ethos and aesthetics, Ilaiyaraaja also contributed to elevating Malayalam songs to another level, where they could be savoured by people from other regions as well. While his tracks were rooted in the local, they were also strikingly universal, with a richer orchestration and a fondness for using choruses to evoke a sense of togetherness and belonging. Regardless of one’s mother tongue, Raaja’s songs — like arrows laced with compassion and serenity — pierced the hearts of listeners. Otherwise, how is it possible for a man who still doesn’t know Malayalam fluently to craft a lullaby like “Alliyilam Poovo” (Mangalam Nerunnu, 1984) that’s as dear to Malayalis as 19th-century poet and musician Irayimman Thampi’s “Omanathinkal Kidavo”? The same Raaja who composed the peppy “Maane Madhurakkarimbe” (Pinnilavu, 1983) also created the jubilant romantic track “Vaalittezhuthiya Neelakkadakkannil Meeno” (Onnanu Nammal, 1984), the children’s song “Thannannam Thaanannam” (Yathra, 1985), the semi-classical “Neelalohitha” (Kaveri, 1986) and the evergreen romantic melody “Poonkaattinodum” (Poomukhappadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu, 1986).

While the maestro kept delivering exceptional albums one after another, his work in legendary filmmaker P Padmarajan’s Moonnam Pakkam (1988) set a benchmark for how a composer should truly enter the soul of a narrative, creating music that serves the story, rather than forcing a soundtrack onto it. Ilaiyaraaja composed two songs for Moonnam Pakkam, one of the most acclaimed tragedies in Malayalam cinema history — “Unarumee Gaanam”, sung by G Venugopal, and “Thaamarakkili Paadunnu”, sung by KS Chithra, MG Sreekumar and Raaja himself. His compositions were so attuned to the film’s emotional core that it feels impossible to believe the music and the narrative weren’t born together, like two peas in a pod.

From Adharvam’s (1989) “Puzhayorathil” and “Poovayi Virinju”, and Season’s (1989) “Poyvaroo”, to Anaswaram’s (1991) hauntingly beautiful “Tharapatham Chethoharam”, Ilaiyaraaja turned whatever he touched into gold.

At the start of the 1990s, Raaja collaborated twice with veteran filmmaker Fazil and delivered back-to-back mesmerising albums. Ente Sooryaputhrikku (1991) told the story of a young woman searching for her estranged birth mother, while Pappayude Swantham Appoos (1992) revolved around a widower and his desperate attempts to love and be loved by his terminally ill son, whom he had long neglected while grappling with the grief of losing his wife. Tracks like “Aalapanam Thedum”, “Olathumpathu”, “Enn Poove Pon Poove”, “Snehathin Poonchola”, and “Kaaka Poocha Kokkara” were not only brilliant compositions but also brought out the best in their vocalists, giving Malayalis unforgettable musical moments.

In 1996, the maestro gifted Malayalam cinema one of his finest albums with Priyadarshan’s Kaalapani, starring Mohanlal and Tabu. Each track offered a fresh experience — rich in orchestration, rhythmic complexity and emotional depth — and collectively, they touched listeners in an unprecedented way. He continued to offer gems with films like Guru (1997), Kaliyoonjal (1997), Oru Yathramozhi (1997) and Friends (1999).

The year 2000 marked the beginning of his fruitful collaboration with director Sathyan Anthikkad, and the two have worked together on several acclaimed films since. Their musical drama Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal (2000) was widely appreciated, and their partnership continued to shine in films like Manassinakkare (2003), Achuvinte Amma (2005), Rasathanthram (2006), Vinodayathra (2007), Innathe Chintha Vishayam (2008), Bhagyadevatha (2009) and Kadha Thudarunnu (2010). Some of their most beloved tracks include “Ghanashyaama”, “Kodamanjin Thaazhvarayil”, “Shivakaradhamarukalayamaay Naadam”, “Marakkudayaal”, “Melleyonnu”, “Chendaykkoru Kolundeda”, “Thamarakuruvikku”, “Enthu Paranjaalum”, “Attinkarayorathe”, “Thevaram Nokkunnunde”, “Mandaarappoo Mooli”, “Swapnangal Kannezhuthiya”, “Aaro Paadunnu”, and “Kizhakkumala Kammallitta”.

Meanwhile, he also composed for Hariharan and MT Vasudevan Nair’s epic period drama Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (2009), starring Mammootty. His most recent work here was Clint (2017).

Although Malayalam cinema has witnessed many talented composers, it is undeniable that the industry wouldn’t have reached such heights without Ilaiyaraaja’s invaluable contributions. As he continues to soar, audiences eagerly await his return to the industry.