Why does a legendary composer like Ilaiyaraaja continue to collaborate with young filmmakers when he has already worked with stalwarts such as K Balachander and Bharathiraja? Director Karthik Subbaraj recently put that question to the maestro, and the answer was as candid as it was emotional.
The occasion was a discussion around Dorothy, Karthik Subbaraj’s upcoming film starring Keerthy Suresh, Sananth and Rishikanth. The film marks the first collaboration between Karthik and Ilaiyaraaja, making the composer’s words all the more special for the young filmmaker.
Explaining his approach, Ilaiyaraaja compared young directors to an “empty vessel”. He said that when a vessel is already full, there is little room to add anything more, but an empty vessel allows him to pour in his music and create something new.
The veteran composer went on to say that many young filmmakers approach him with ideas about how the music should sound. However, he believes their understanding of what constitutes good or bad music has itself been shaped by the music he has created over the years.
Ilaiyaraaja also spoke with characteristic confidence about his musical ability, saying that the gift of creating music was given to him by God. His remarks drew loud applause from the gathering. He stressed that his words should not be mistaken for arrogance, but reflected the confidence he has in his craft.
For Karthik, who has predominantly collaborated with Santhosh Narayanan in his films, Dorothy represents a particularly special musical partnership. The film, which brings the filmmaker together with Ilaiyaraaja for the first time, is slated for theatrical release on September 25.
With the maestro’s music and Karthik’s distinctive filmmaking coming together, Dorothy has already created considerable curiosity among film buffs.