Ilaiyaraaja on his birthday: ‘Still mourning my daughter Bhavatharini's death’

4 months ago | 28 Views

Music composer Ilaiyaraaja, who turned 81 on June 2, was met with an outpouring of support and understanding from his numerous fans and celebrities on social media. Despite the crowd at his office in Chennai, he openly shared with the press that he wasn’t in the mood to celebrate this year.

‘I am still mourning’

Ilaiyaraaja patiently met the fans crowding his office and took pictures with them as requested. On his birthday, the office was also decked out in fresh flowers. Ilaiyaraaja also accepted gifts from fans who travelled far and wide to meet him. He spoke to the media and shared that his heart was not on it. He looked sorrowful as he told the press, “I am not celebrating my birthday today because I am grieving the loss of my daughter (Bhavatharini), and you are wishing me a happy birthday. This meet is only to acknowledge my fans.”

Bhavatharini’s death

Ilaiyaraaja’s daughter died at age 47 on January 25 this year. She was undergoing treatment for liver cancer in Sri Lanka when she succumbed to the disease. The news came as a shock for fans and well-wishers. Bhavatharini debuted with Prabhu Deva’s Raasiya and went on to sing for numerous films. She also frequently collaborated with her father and her brothers Yuvan Shankar Raja and Karthik Raja. In 2000, she won the National Award for Best Playback Singer for the song Mayil Pola Ponnu Onnu from Bharathi.

Dhanush releases new poster of biopic

On Sunday, Dhanush and Kamal Haasan were among the many who wished Ilaiyaraaja on his birthday. Dhanush shared a poster from his upcoming film, a biopic on Ilaiyaraaja. The actor who will play the music maestro stood on stage in front of a sea of people. He was seen keeping one hand on the harmonium while several people sat with their musical instruments behind him.

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.” Wishing both Mani Ratnam and the music composer, Kamal wrote, “My beloved brother Ilayaraja will tell the story in music; Anbuth Thambi Maniratnam who adds a touch of charm to screen writing... I wish you both a happy birthday. May the legacy of our trio continue forever.”