Maestro ilaiyaraaja news & titbits

[sakaLAKALAKAlaa Vallavar]

Positive things about Raja's Music, in today's Scenario:-

1. He is more popular now, surely, than mid 90s 2000s
2. Today, there are more Singing Competition shows in TV and naturally more Raja Songs. The toughness of those songs are realized today by younger generation. There are some dedicated shows for him, in Jaya/Kalaigner TV. Music Channels kinda cannot run without his music!
3. FM Radios have openly agreed that Raja is the Compulsory Filler of most of the Quality Airtime. After 9/10 PM every night, its almost One and Only Raja!
4. Internet - There is more discussion in forums, twitter, facebook etc
5. Excellent blogs which musically analyze Raja's work, written mostly by experts
6. Availability of Rare Raja Songs is much better, 1st thanks goes to youtube! Thiraipaadal.com shud be Next. Can we say almost ALL of his works are available??
7. Today, Awareness of the toughness in "Composing as a Profession" is much better even for laymen and thus, Raja's Greatness is very well understood.
8. Easy availability of Raja collectible CDs DVDs (illegal, though!) and also the Player costs are way less so we hear Raja songs(mostly 80s classics) more in Mofesul Bus, Rural Tea shops etc. Many Rural themed movies has his popular songs running in background.
9. For whatever reason, his birthday is much widely celebrated in media, in recent years, than before.
10. Shows like "Endrenrum Raja" Dubai/Italy shows, HTNI NBW Concerts keep Raja's works alive within wide spectrum including GenX GenY Audience. Jaya TV kku oru Thankful Salute

Most of the Popular older gen artists are completely retired much before. Aging artists like Kamal/Rajini are Completely "in" market and no way be considered Retired. Raja is kind of In between! The kind of Popularity, and in a way, even enmity by anti-raja camp, is somewhat high! His past work is ever popular and that's something which almost no older-gen artist's past work is like! Can we say Nobody's past work is as popular as his?! At same time, he is duly getting current offers too and they do what is expected to, (though we expect more ) and what's surprising is, few young-gen directors too go to Raja, and the Icing on Cake, is Gautam's NEPV

(Was thinking to write this for many days, kindly correct any mistake! )