It has been 50 years since the release of director duo Devaraj–Mohan's film Annakili, which marked Ilaiyaraaja's debut as a composer. While the Tamil Nadu State Government felicitated the legendary music director on his Golden Jubilee recently, it is worth noting that Annakili hit theatres only on May 14, 1976. The composer was felicitated for his journey in the film industry in an intimate ceremony on Thursday.

At the event, a reporter asked Ilaiyaraaja about how the public perceives him as a music director. The reporter said that he has been regarded as the 'God of Music' and asked him about his opinion on it. "People only consider me that, right? Will the almighty think of himself as the God? Let people view me as that. It won't make me a lesser person and won't make them better, either. After all, it is just an expression of their affection," the legendary composer explained.

Ilaiyaraaja is recognised with the nickname 'Isaignani,' which means the Scholar of Music. Over his five-decade-long career, he composed music for films across languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi. His work earned him multiple accolades, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan. Dhanush is set to star in the titular role of a film based on the iconic composer's life and career.

Recently, the composer performed his maiden Western classical symphony live at Eventim Apollo in London along with the world renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Titled 'Valiant,' the symphony made him the first film composer from Asia to perform a Western classical symphony in the UK city.