One of the well known music directors of the Indian Film Industry, Ilayaraja was rushed to the Apollo Hospital in Chennai as he suffered a mild heart attack on Monday, December 23, 2013.
Ilayaraja, was likely to undergo an angioplasty procedure, sources said, adding, he has been advised rest for a few days.
“He was admitted to Apollo Hospital this afternoon after he complained of some chest pain at his residence. The doctors confirmed that it was a mild attack, but have ascertained that he is absolutely fine. The doctors are likely to perform angioplasty on him this evening, and they are yet to tell us when he can be discharged” informed Ilayaraja’s manager.
In a career of nearly four years, Illayaraja is known for his immense contribution in the Indian film industry across various languages. He has composed music for over nine hundred films. Some of his regional films are Thalapathi, Manassinakkare, Achuvinte Amma, Kalapani, Thevar Magan, Mounaragam and Nayagan just to name a few. He also has a number of Hindi musical hits to his credit, including films like Sadma, Shiva, Hey Ram, Lajja, Cheeni Kum and Paa among others.
A gold medalist in classical guitar from Trinity College of Music, London, in 1993, he organized a full symphony and thus became the first Asian to compose a full symphony performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London’s Walthamstow Town Hall, which is yet to be released.
Ilayaraja has won four national awards, three in the capacity of a music director: Saagara Sangamam (Telugu-1984), Sindhu Bhairavi (Tamil-1986), Rudra Veena (Telugu-1984) and the forth one for his background score in the film Pazhassi Raja (Malayalam-2009). Ilayaraja has produced some of the biggest musical hits of Tamil cinema for actors including veterans Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, and has worked with top filmmakers including Maniratnam and Gautham Menon.
His latest film was Thalaimuraigal (Tamil), has been received well across the industry.
Wishing this music maestro a speedy recovery.
