MAESTRO ILAIYARAAJA NEWS & TITBITS VER.2010-2011

[karlkalyan]

It is true- the ASK story of Raaja suddenly asking for more budget because he wants to bring in musicians from Budapest.

He agreed to a total package of Rs.50 lacs. And this whole film has to be sold only on the name of Suseendiran. And it is an experimental film with no star cast. And natually it will have a limited business prospects. Hence our man suddenly hiking the music budget is some thing this project can not bear.

More over, what is the need for insisting on these few players from Budapest even when the budget does not permit? After all, you have done 99.9% your movies with local musicians, right?

In fact recently, he lost another movie to GV Prakash because of such going back on his words.

There is a movie produced by Punnagai Poo Geetha, a new lady is the director, forgot her name. Originally Raaja agreed for 40 lacs as a package. Then he slowly started brain washing the director that the story is too good, and to make it a good finished product, he needs another 20 lacs bla bla...the usual story. That director tried her best and finally gave up and went to GV and who has agreed to do it for 30 lacs.

Now don't tell me, that GV can not be compared with what Raaja could have done. At the end of the day, it is business. And all elements of the costing should be in relation to the possible business of the finished product. That lady director and the producer know very well that Raaja will add more weight to the RR. But then they will be finishing the product with a table loss, which they can not afford.

Even for Nandalala, the original package was for Rs.40 lacs. Then mid way thru he increased to Rs. 60 lacs because he brought in four players from Budapest.

Now the question is, whether what he achieved with them, is some thing he could not have done with available talents here, right?

[MumbaiRamki]

karlkalyan,
When you ask "what he achieved with them ? " - It is very difficult to explain . The effect of Background score in a film is very subtle and can be appreciated where the background score was bad , as if its good, the effect is pronounced on the viewing of the film rather than on the music .

You can see the effect in Heyram, Pazassi Raja, Lajja and many other movies : The grandeur can never be accomplished with the small sized orchestra here .

As far as GV/IR stuff , one has to see what IR would have done with the hungary muscians if budget allowed . Merely finishing a project on budget doen't ensure that the resultant quality is the best !
And above all , Raaja's suggestion was more for making the movie better and not for pocketing ( i hope so ) .

[Sureshs65]

karlkalyan,

From what I saw last year, Raja has done lot of music for films like 'Kannukulle', 'Madhiya Chennai', 'Jaganmohini', 'Valmiki' etc where no foreign artists were involved. He probably saw the movie and decided that such music was not necessary. Whereas when he saw 'Nandalala' he had asked for foreign musicians and we can feel the impact even in the trailer. And if you go by all the reports coming in, music is a major highlight of the film. My feeling is that Raja is probably sure that Suseendran has done a good movie and deserves high quality BGM. Maybe if 'Nandalala' is successful, it may inspire Gautam Menon to go in for such orchestration?

[karlkalyan]

Boss,

You have to do music with the available resources, which the budget can permit. Just because you feel like that, you can not say only an addition from Budapest will add to the weight of the RR music. That is not fair. Particularly when you have accepted the assignment for a particular budget.

Gautham has said that for this film ASG, he can not afford, and so they are sticking to the orginal budget. More over this film has just three songs. And the RR. Just because you feel some thing, you can not keep on asking for more in the name of enhancing the quality of your RR. I will say, please do your best with what is available here. And that is what you have been doing till now, right?

Even considering that addition, what difference that would have made?

For Nandalala, he had a solo violin, oboe, and a Brass player. This is not some thing that he could not have managed here with his regular resources. Don't tell me that quality of the live Oboe would have been better than a Oboe from his synthesizer. But then that is where your strength comes right? Producing the best with available resources. And the skill set available is not that bad. They may not able to play the kind of score played effortlessly by Budapest gang continously. Because those guys are trained in WC and mostly for concert performances. But our guys, who are all trained WC musicians but mostly working in studio session works, can play that also but with breaks. That is all. So please don't under estimate the skill of our home crowd.

[njv]

Boss,

You have to do music with the available resources, which the budget can permit. Just because you feel like that, you can not say only an addition from Budapest will add to the weight of the RR music. That is not fair. Particularly when you have accepted the assignment for a particular budget.

Gautham has said that for this film ASG, he can not afford, and so they are sticking to the orginal budget. More over this film has just three songs. And the RR. Just because you feel some thing, you can not keep on asking for more in the name of enhancing the quality of your RR. I will say, please do your best with what is available here. And that is what you have been doing till now, right?

Even considering that addition, what difference that would have made?

For Nandalala, he had a solo violin, oboe, and a Brass player. This is not some thing that he could not have managed here with his regular resources. Don't tell me that quality of the live Oboe would have been better than a Oboe from his synthesizer. But then that is where your strength comes right? Producing the best with available resources. And the skill set available is not that bad. They may not able to play the kind of score played effortlessly by Budapest gang continously. Because those guys are trained in WC and mostly for concert performances. But our guys, who are all trained WC musicians but mostly working in studio session works, can play that also but with breaks. That is all. So please don't under estimate the skill of our home crowd.

Lol... If movie doesnt demand IR, go to GKV or even come to me. I will do it for 2L!

If movie demand IR, 40 or 60L is not a matter at all. Remember, we are in the world where the scams have reached 17trillion rupees (probably biggest scam in the world)... so 60L is nothing these days.

[irir123]

business or no business - if one needs quality, then one has to shell out money - when artistes are making crores doing unartistic game shows, what is wrong in a genuine artiste asking for 20 lakhs to enhance the quality of a 'product' ?

we have production houses spending lakhs for an audio release function somewhere overseas, when the quality of the audio being released itself does not demand such a hype, right ?

so why not spend a few more lakhs for quality that will stand the test of time ?

[Sureshs65]

karlkalyan,

Whether the producer agrees or not, it is his / her prerogative. The music director can tell his preference and later I guess it is upto the producer. So why jump on the music director for having suggested it. As you say, Gautham Menon wants to stick to his budget and maybe Raja will do the movie as per the budget. And there ends the matter.

I think lot of people may not be in agreement with you that the Oboe that emanates out of the synthesizer is equivalent to an acoustic one. So I guess we will disagree here. similarly, I would think that Raja knows a thing or two about the playing of the Hungarian musicians vis-a-vis our musicians. As I had said earlier, he is using our musicians wherever he can and wants to bring in top quality foreign musicians only when required.

irir123 has hit the nail on the head. I read a joke in Anantha Vikatan today. The director is telling someone, "This is a complete village subject film. The music release will be held overseas." The amount of money being spent on marketing is enormous nowadays. The motto seems to be "Forget the quality of the product per se. Lets get some good marketing tamasha going on." Raja asking for better musicians is akin to a cameraman asking for better lens. The impact on quality is bound to be high. If the producer chooses not to, as I said it is his / her right. The ultimate losers is people like us.

[jaiganes]

@karlkayan - To give you a history trip...
Raaja is the most whimsical egoistic person on this whole planet earth. He is in fact Darth Vader incarnate. This has been already established in "the hub". So try finding new evidence that can elevate his position in history of villains even more. The accusations you are making are much too soft on him. Try something harder.

[tvsankar]

@karlkayan - To give you a history trip...
Raaja is the most whimsical egoistic person on this whole planet earth. He is in fact Darth Vader incarnate. This has been already established in "the hub". So try finding new evidence that can elevate his position in history of villains even more. The accusations you are making are much too soft on him. Try something harder.

hahahaha.. Nice reply..... hahahahahahhahahahaha......

[appushiva]

First I should thank for my friends who analyse and support Raja in good faith in this hub.

Now , Again in Nandalala , Raja Sir proved single handed that he is ultimate in flim music. I was worried that may 2010 go without any jewels in his crown , but it is wrong. Happy to see the movie reviews.

Here is the one from Behindwoods.com

"In all these portions the words that are left unsaid are magnificently conveyed by Ilaiyaraja’s notes. Mysskin had said during the making of the movie that Ilaiyaraja’s score will be one of the characters of the movie; how true. Each and every sound from the master elevates the movie to a new level. Oscar or not; he is the ultimate genius when it comes to creating soulful music that enhances the viewing experience"

I am trying my luck to watch the movie in theatre ,,,, in middle east.

Long live Raja sir