Musician Ilaiyaraaja, who turned 81 on June 2, received support and sympathy from many of his fans and celebrities on social media. Despite the crowd at his office in Chennai, he candidly shared with the press that he is in no mood to celebrate this year. (Also Read: Ilaiyaraaja shares an old, adorable black-and-white photo with his late daughter Bhavatharini)
‘I’m still grieving’
Ilaiyaraaja patiently met the fans who thronged his office and posed for pictures with them on their request. On his birthday, the office was decorated with fresh flowers. Ilaiyaraaja also accepted gifts from fans who came from far and wide to meet him. He spoke to the media and told them that his heart was not in it. He told the press, “I am not celebrating my birthday today because I am mourning the loss of my daughter (Bhavatharini), and you are wishing me happy birthday. This meeting is only to express my gratitude to my fans.”
Death of Bhavatari
Ilaiyaraaja’s daughter died on January 25 this year at the age of 47. She was undergoing treatment for liver cancer in Sri Lanka when she passed away. The news came as a shock to fans and well-wishers. Bhavatharini debuted with Prabhu Deva’s Rasiya and sang in several films. She also worked frequently with her father and her brothers Yuvan Shankar Raja and Karthik Raja. In 2000, she won the National Award for Best Playback Singer for Bharathi’s song Mayil Pola Ponnu Onnu.
Dhanush released the new poster of the biopic
On Sunday, Dhanush and Kamal Haasan were among those who wished Ilaiyaraaja on his birthday. Dhanush shared a poster of his upcoming film, the Ilaiyaraaja biopic. The actor, who plays the music maestro, stood on the stage in front of a crowd of people. He had one hand on the harmonium while several people sat behind him with their musical instruments.
Sharing it on X (formerly Twitter), Dhanush wrote, “Happy birthday, maestro.” Dhanush simply captioned the post, “Happy birthday to the one and only @ilaiyaraaja sir.” Extending his wishes to both Mani Ratnam and the composer, Kamal wrote, “My dear brother Ilaiyaraaja who will tell the story in music; Anbuth Thambi Maniratnam who adds a touch of charm to the screenwriting… I wish you both a very happy birthday. May the legacy of our trio continue forever.”
