Did Tamil cinema, in some forgotten way, pledge itself to the maestro and his family? Is there a bond between the music genius and the platform he used it for, cinema, that transcends the ordinary and mortal?

How else do you explain how the music magician, even 33 years after his first breezy music score, makes it to the week’s Top Ten in Raaga? And is it mere coincidence that competing against their own father’s score in ‘Naan Kadavul’ are sons Yuvan Shankar Raja and Karthik Raja?

In one of the most trusted music portals in the Kollywood's web world, www.raaga.com, the current Top Ten songs consists of Karthik Raja’s USA from the film Achchamundu! Achchamundu! At number 10, closely losing it to Illayaraja’s Om Siva Om from ‘Naan Kadavul’, that is at number 9. Numbers 7 and 4 have been bagged by Yuvan Shankar Raja for his score in ‘Silambattam’ and ‘Kunguma Poovum Konjum Puravum’, reserving four of the 10 slots for the family.

In an interesting turn out of events, Premgi Amaren’s composition Adhu Oru Kalam, from the film ‘Adhey Neram Adhey Idam’, is also at Number 6.Premgi Amaren, as widely known, is Illayaraja's nephew.

Here’s sincerely hoping the Raja family, all branches extended, continues to rule the music scenario in Tamil cinema, one that the Isaignani himself cultivated and nurtured. Still nurtures.

Listen to Top 10 songs on Raaga.com