Photo: Bollywood Hungama / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Ilaiyaraaja is, frankly, one of those figures who leaves me almost reverent. Born in 1943 in Theni district, he is a titan of Indian film music, composing thousands of songs predominantly in Tamil while ranging across Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi. What astonishes me is the breadth: composer, singer, arranger, conductor, all in one person, crowned with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan among countless honors. He does not merely score films, he carries a whole musical culture on his shoulders. When I trace the great melodies of South Indian cinema, his hand is so often behind them that I get chills. He is a living institution.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ilaiyaraaja
- Name (Japanese)
- イラヤラージャ
- Reading
- いらやらーじゃ
- Born
- June 2, 1943 (age 83)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Goat
- Origin
- Pannaipuram, Theni district, India
- Occupation
- actor / singer / composer / musician / screenwriter
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- Nandi Award
- Filmfare Awards South
- Padma Bhushan
- National Film Award for Best Music Direction
- 2018 Padma Vibhushan
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://ilaiyaraajalive.com/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilaiyaraaja
Frequently asked questions
When was Ilaiyaraaja born?
Born June 2, 1943 (age 83).
Where is Ilaiyaraaja from?
Ilaiyaraaja is from Pannaipuram, Theni district, India.
What does Ilaiyaraaja do?
Ilaiyaraaja works as actor, singer, composer, musician, screenwriter.
Actor — see all → · Singer — see all → · More people from India →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.