Composer, arranger, singer, screenwriter, and multi-instrumentalist R.
Gnanathesikan – born on June 2, 1943, in Pannaipuram, Tamil Nadu, India – is
better known as Ilaiyaraaja. One of the most popular composers in the Indian
film industry, he is best-known for his work in Tamil cinema (Kollywood) and
Telugu cinema (Tollywood). He is also known for blending traditional Indian folk
music with modern film orchestration. Throughout his career, he has smoothly
mixed other genres into his music including afro-tribal, bossa nova, disco,
doo-wop, flamenco, western folk, funk, Indian clas...