Maestro’s music for Vijay

Maestro Ilayaraja is someone any actor would consider as a privilege to work with and have his name on the title cards of their movie. For Vijay the opportunity struck not once but 5 times in his career till now.

Ilayaraja has composed music for Vijay’s movies Raajavin Paarvayile, Chandralekha, Kaadhalukku Mariyaadhai, Kannukkul Nilavu and Friends. There were quite a lot of hit songs from these movies, mostly melodies that touch your soul.

The biggest of all was Kaadhalukku Mariyaadhai which was a kind of beginning of a new innings for Ilayaraja ever since Rahman’s arrival. All songs were huge hits and the film itself was a superhit.

The credit of streamlining Vijay’s singing talent goes to Ilayaraja. Vijay had sung quite a few songs previously, but “Oh Baby Baby” by Vijay in Kaadhalukku Mariyaadhai is a song that established him as a playback singer too. Ilayaraja appreciated him after the recording of the song, which is quite an award for him.

Later while composing for the next Vijay-Faasil movie Kannukul Nilavu, Ilayaraja again used Vijay’s voice towards the film’s ending in the small bit “Iravu Pagalai theda”. It was again through Ilayaraja’s music that Vijay got a chance to act in songs sung by the legend KJ Yesudas. Some of the great compositions of Ilayaraja in Vijay’s movies are:

• Oru sudar Iru Sudar from Raajavin Paarvayile
• Arumbum thalire and Allah Un Aanai from Chandralekha
• Ennai Thaalaata, Oru Pattampoochi, Oh Baby Baby, Aanandha Kuyil from KM
• Roja Poondhottam, Oru Naal Oru Kanavu, Iravu pagalai from Kannukul Nilavu
• Rukku Rukku, Thendral varum and Kuyilukku Koo Koo from Friends