A tweet by composer AR Rahman has once again left fans of him and Ilaiyaraaja in an online tussle about the intention of the post. The Oscar-winning composer took to social media to share a thought-provoking video of late Tamil actor Kumarimuthu. In the video, Kumarimuthu quotes from Tamil poetic work Naaladiyaar. He says, "The one who has learnt a lot need not boast about himself. Even an umbrella can save you from the mighty sun. It is the people who have learnt a little serve as the fulcrum to the geniuses. It means without the rest the geniuses' life won't function. This is Naaladiyaar. All the 18 literary works are about such principles. Tamil itself is a great thing." AR Rahman shared the video and wrote, "The speech of the learned itself is sweet." சில கற்றார் பேச்சும் இனிமையே #tamilsrilanka via @YouTube — A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) May 5, 2024 The video was interpreted as a dig at Ilaiyaraaja, who is known his egoistic statements. Many fans claimed that AR Rahman has indirectly taken a dig at the maestro, who keeps claiming his musical supremacy in interviews and public events. A fan wrote, "Is AR Rahman hitting out at Ilaiyaraaja indirectly?" Another fan of Ilaiyaraaja asked Rahman to compose good songs rather than indulging in such activities. Rahman has yet to respond to the theories surrounding his post. Meanwhile, Ilaiyaraaja has found himself embroiled in a copyright controversy. The composer reportedly took legal action against the makers of Rajinikanth's upcoming film Coolie over the use of a line from his song "Va Va Pakkam Va" in the film's title teaser. As the composer holds the copyright for all his compositions, the move sparked a heated debate on social media platforms, with some questioning the necessity of such legal battles and others defending Ilaiyaraaja's right to protect his creative works.
