Gangai Amaran, the versatile Kollywood celebrity who has achieved big as a lyric writer, music director, singer and director, is a prominent jury for the south zone in National Awards 2016. The veteran has given an exclusive interview to Indiaglitz about his experience as a selection committee member for the prestigious Indian National Awards. He clears the air about the two controversial decisions- the award for Ilaiyaraja for his background score in Tharai Thappattai` and no award for Vikram`s performance in I`. .

How was your experience as the first chairperson in National Awards?

It was a new experience The panel was divided into six groups on the basis of regions. Tamil and Malayalam came under one group while Kannada and Telugu were in another. I was the first chair person in all these groups. I will be watching the movies in all these groups and listen to the recommendations of the other group members. I will make by recommendations based on that to select the top 30% for screening to the central selection committee.

Tell us about your experience in the discussion panel?

It was like a film festival. Every film is made with excellence as I cannot find out a negative point for any film I tried to push Thani Oruvan` and Irudhi Suttru` to the Central committee but I could not do that. If I suggest a film, others have another suggestion with some more valid points which could not be ignored. The discussions happened with many arguments but the decisions were amicable.

Your influence in selecting films for awards?

They (the Central Committee) never failed to discuss with me on awards related to music like best music director, best singer etc. They considered my suggestion for all categories of awards for South Indian films. I had a selfish thought of selecting Baahubali` in Tamil category so that there will be one more award to Tamil films, but I had to give priority to Visaaranai` and selected it.

Reason behind no National Award for Vikram?

As I have said earlier, a film should come on top 30% to get qualified for the central committee. Sadly, Mani Ratnam`s O Kadhal Kanmani` Shankar`s I`, Pasanga 2` and Merku Thodarchi Malai` got filtered in the earlier stages. We have recall option to screen any film again and reconsider. I had opted for I` and Pasanga 2`. But other members of the committee started asking two films each in every language for recall. Since we are already running short of time as the date of announcement was finalized, we had no time to watch 60 films again and had unanimously decided not to recall any film.

If we had recalled, Vikram would sure have gotten National Award for the Best Actor`. I really feel sorry for Vikram as he had given an extreme hard work for the character. Everything in the panel was done according to rules and regulations and I have no option to help due to lack of time. I heard Shankar was aggrieved by this but I hope he understands as he knows well about National Award selection process.

There`s a talk that you would have lobbied for the award for Ilaiyaraja. Can you explain?

There is a fundamental rule in the panel that a member should not recommend for his/her blood relations. Accordingly, I did not vote for Ilaiyaraja but other members had selected him. Three names were proposed for Award for best background score. G.V. Prakash Kumar`s name was one among them for his work in Visaranai`

But I could support the recommendation of others with valid points. Before the screening of Tharai Thappattai`, I just explained the following point to the central committee- as the film was about a folk artist playing Nadhaswaram and Thavil, the rerecording for the climax scene was done with the manual playing of these two instruments and there was no electronic arrangement.

After the screening, the members unanimously decided not to watch other films in the list and to give the award for Ilaiyaraja. I am very happy for that.

Your favourite song in Tharai Thappattai`?

Frankly, I did not like any song in Tharai Thappattai`. If Ilaiyaraja had composed better songs, he would have gotten award for Best Music Director`. No song in the film seems relevant to the situation in the film and I wasn`t impressed by any of those songs.

Still I don`t know for what purpose the Pararuvaya` song was used in the film. It is an important spiritual song. As a Ilaiyaraja fan, I think I should admit all these things e. Thaarai Thappattai` is not a musical film and it was not intended to be so.

Your role in Ilaiyaraja`s career?

There is no Ilaiyaraja without me. During his early days, I only wrote lyrics for his songs. Ilaiyaraja started composing music for my songs. We have worked together for a very long period.

Why there is a long gap between National Awards for Ilaiyaraja. Why there is such a delay?

There is no delay in this. Since I get into the process, I have watched around 80 movies in a month. There are many movies which come with extraordinary musical score, even with basic instruments. If we want Ilaiyaraja to get award every year, we cannot make other talents get recognized.

National award is for all and Ilayaraja is not the only music director.

Share something about Ilayaraja as a person?

You have seen the calm and composed Ilayaraja. He may have expressed his anger sometimes. But I know the Ilayaraja who often gets angry. Be it getting output from players or dealing an error committed by a family member, we have seen the angry side of him.

He used to be jovial with us till his first 6 or 7 hit albums. After getting into music completely, he chose to be alone. I think he wanted to stay away from others and did that with his anger.

Your musical life experience with Ilaiyaraja?

When we worked together Ilaiyaraja used to get my suggestion after composing songs. Sometimes if I feel a tune as bad, I will say that straight to him and he had changed his compositions because of my suggestion.

Thank you so much Gangai Amaran for the quality time and giving some really revealing and interesting answers.

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