LEGENDARY COMPOSER ILAIYARAAJA RETURNS TO KANNADA FOR RANJANI RAGHAVAN'S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT

Ranjani was a household name for her television roles and is now looking to make a mark as a filmmaker. Making her debut more special is the collaboration with music maestro Ilaiyaraaja.

- A SHARADHAA

ANJANI RAGHAVAN gained prominence with Kannada serials like Putt Gowri Maduve and Kannadati. Taking a giant leap, she is now taking it to filmmaking.

There is no better way to begin her directorial debut than with the iconic music of Ilaiyaraaja, whose compositions have defined cinematic brilliance for decades.

Ilaiyaraaja, the legendary composer who has scored music for over 1,000 films in multiple languages, is now working on the music for Ranjani's upcoming film, a family social drama. The composer of films like Pallavi Anu Pallavi and Aa Dinagalu, to name a few, is back after a hiatus to score music for a Kannada film. Overjoyed by the collaboration, she says, "Actually, Ilaiyaraaja gave wings to my project. For my project to come this far, it's a dream come true."

Ranjani reveals she was nervous to first approach Ilaiyaraaja, not knowing if he would get on board. "I first met Ilaiyaraaja in 2023. I was nervous, not knowing if he would even consider working with me. I initially thought this would just be a chance to take his blessings and maybe get an autograph. But to my surprise, he was excited to hear that Kannada filmmakers were reaching out to him. He kept directors in high regard," Ranjani explains.