Ilaiyaraaja's Musical Secret: The Thirukkural Inspiration Behind a Hit Song*

Legendary musician Ilaiyaraaja has created countless hit songs in Tamil cinema, but one standout track draws inspiration from the Thirukkural. In the 1990 film Michael Madana Kamarajan, directed by Singeetham Srinivasan and featuring Kamal Haasan, Ilaiyaraaja composed music that became a sensation.

During the song's composition, poet Vali was curious about the melody. Ilaiyaraaja surprised him by humming, "Tattata tatata," revealing that the tune originated from the Thirukkural. He explained that while reading a line about "Tupparkkhu Tuppaya," the melody struck him, leading to the creation of a song that pays homage to Valluvar.

This track was part of the film's successful soundtrack, and recently, Yuvan Shankar Raja remixed it for the Santhanam film Dikilona, making it a viral hit once again.