Shocking: Ilaiyaraja Boycotts National Award for Tharai Thappattai’

The President of India distributed the the 63rd National Film Awards to the proud recipients from the film fraternity across the country. The recipients from Kollywood included. apart from several awards for director Vetrimaran's 'Visaranai', Isaignanai Ilaiyaraja had been announced as the recipient of the award for Best Background Score for his work in director Bala's 'Tharai Thappattai' which is also the legendary musician's landmark 1000th film as a music director.

However the Isaignani boycotted the award and also restrained from attending the award function held in New Delhi on Wednesday, according to a first page report published in a leading English daily, today.

The news report said that the maestro had sent two letters to the Information & Broad Casting Ministry citing his refusal to get the award as he is against the bifurcation of awards for music direction in films.

In addition to the award for Best Music Direction an additional award for Best Background Score was added by the National Awards Committee in the year 2010. In fact Ilaiyaraja was the first recipient of the award for his music in the Malayalam film 'Pazhasiraja'. Earlier he had won the National award for Best Music Direction for 'Sindhu Bhairavi', 'Sagara Sangamam' and 'Rudhraveena'.

Ilaiyaraja in his letter has stated that like direction, cinematography and editing, music should also have only one category of award and the performance of a music director should be judged in a holistic manner. Giving separate awards for music direction and best background score is like encouraging music directors to do half the job, according to him.

M.Jayachandran has won this year's award for Best Music Direction for his work in Malayalam film 'Ennu Ninte Moideen', In his letter, Ilaiyaraja has asked what was the purpose of giving an award to him for the background score and giving the award for best music direction to Jayachandran.