The surprising colour in the last line of the charanam. I mean, the call-response between S Janaki's humming (at the start) and those strident drums, which are such a contrast to the singer's softness. (He just listens and basks in the ego-massaging lyrics.) But the song is a superb example of how even the most generic situations could inspire a specific kind of genius in Illaiyaraaja. I'm going to pick the awesome ' Aayirathil Nee Oruthan' ( Naanum Oru Thozhilaali). So it's probably best to search the 'crap films' list (and it's quite a long one, mind you). I think a lot of the younger generation would have seen quite a few of his important films, and therefore heard a lot of the songs. Another fun Malaysia Vasudevan-Sivaji Ganesan number where the music sweetens the moral science lesson in the lyrics? ' Yeriyil Oru Odam' ( Jallikattu). Malaysia Vasudevan's voice sits surprisingly well on the legend, and the stanzas of this waltz, with bird-like (that's the opening line, remember?) flute trills between lines, are especially lovely. But if you can't handle TM Soundararajan, try ' Oru Koottu Kiliyaga'., from Padikkadhavan.

But let's not count the child-actor years.) I have a soft spot for ' Thenmalli Poove' ( Thyagam), as the prelude is one of the earliest 'textbook' preludes by Ilaiyaraaja, the kind that lays out the contours of the song. (Technically, yes, Kamal Haasan, who started his career in 1960, would be a legacy actor, too.

Sivaji Ganesan: The biggest legacy actor that Ilaiyaraaja worked with.

Ilayaraja 75 sun tv