1979-83 : The Raaja we felt ! Part-1

It was in this period (approx. between '79 to '83), the outstanding growth of IR happened.

Though his total seclusion from public appearance, interviews etc., also happened in this period , with the phenomenal growth at 40 plus films per year, IR was already ruling the TFM.

And he had settled in a significant way in the Telugu and Malayalam films also !

All the other old MDs were virtually fading away and even the new MDs had to struggle for their existence.

Film posters and LP covers etc invariably carried the faces of Raaja, which were not the cases ealier.

Music recording shops started mushrooming all over Tamilnadu, and a very big parallel industry got established ( which later grown into crores of rupeees turnover) and many associated job/business opportunity for a lot in rural areas also happened.

Musical hits like Kizhakke pogum rail, Sigappu Rojakkal, Mullum Malarum, Panner Pushpangal, Kazhugu, Salangai Oli, Moondram Pirai, Payanangal Mudivadhillai etc etc. registered a new generation of variety of music.

Which are significantly different in styles, formats, orchestration etc etc!

Also the whole lot of producers and directors etc had been assured of a new phenomenon "Quantity is not to affect the quality at all" !

In the ealier period, usually MDs used to highlight and give importance to one or two songs per film, for which "due care" for the orchestration etc will be done. Alternatively, the film shall be of some super star etc to get more such "better" songs.

But IR established the habit of "All Songs hit!"

Irrespective of the "star value" or "director value" etc, the "film value" became the criteria in song and orchestration effort!

All indicated one thing, that "IR is here forever".

( During these period, we indeed wrote a few letters to IR, but as expected we never got any reply from IR. Reasons may be many!

We realized the fact and resigned to the fate that IR is growing and people like us who are such a tiny spec of sand near the ocean of music, shall not disturb him anymore.

But one thing was for sure, that our love and affection and the respect for his music were growing exponentially along with each release of his film and the haunting songs and BGM scores he was inventing! )

But one thing always remained as a puzzle ! "How he is able to do all these ? "

I got the answer at a very late stage when I had the opportunity to visit him again for a few times during mid-eighties.

That I will tell later !