Being the children of Ilaiyaraaja, music is in their genes, and today, Karthik Raja, Bhavatharini and Yuvanshankar Raja are gaining recognition as achievers in their own right, MALATHI RANGARAJAN talks to the prodigies.

THE ALL-PERVADING religiosity of the ambience is mesmerising. The soothing serenity and tranquillity that envelops you is refreshing. It is a place where even silence seems to speak and convey a lot too. And so do the three cheerful youngsters living there - Karthik Raja, Bhavatharini and Yuvanshankar Raja - the prodigious achievers from the house of Ilaiyaraaja.

None of the three can be categorised as spontaneous talkers, especially Bhavatharini and Yuvan. Making small talk is not their cup of tea but mention music and they are at their enthusiastic best. Thus the inhibited air that is almost tangible initially, soon gives way to smiles and lightheartedness.

``Basically I am a fun loving chap,'' says Yuvanshankar Raja, who has probably created a record by making his debut as a composer even when he was in Class IX.

Karthik Raja, the eldest of the three, is a youngster whose maturity is much more than his chronological age. Calm, composed and with a subtle sense of humour, his profound ideas about music, religion and other related subjects are bound to make an impression.

A coy smile and a pair of self-conscious eyes that dart towards Karthik for reassurance every now and then are features that characterise the daughter of Ilaiyaraaja.

Yuvan, the youngest of the three, draws a lot of inspiration from John Williams. ``His music in ``Home Alone'' and ``Jaws'' is out of the world,'' he says.

What about Karthik and Bhavatha?

``Let her answer first, otherwise she will repeat what I say,'' is Karthik's jocular dig at his sister. ``No... He is just making fun of me. I like Lata Mangeshkar a lot and P. Susheela too... especially the ``Nenjam Marapathillai'' songs,'' Bhavatha says and laughs gaily when you remind her of a recent incident when Ilaiyaraaja introduced his singer-daughter to Lata at a function. ``Yes... it was a great moment for me'', she states.

Karthik Raja enjoys Hindustani, Carnatic and Western classical. His spare time is spent in listening to music. ``But Mozart's music has affected me a lot'', he claims. So if it was Bach and Paul Mauriat who fascinate the father, it is Mozart who inspires Karthik most.

The sleeve note of Ilaiyaraaja's ``How to Name It'', details the number ``I met Bach in my house'' as a counter to Bach's violin ``Sonata No: Six''. So also ``We had a talk'' is described as revealing an ``intimate exposure'' to Bach wherein the number itself is a counter melodic rhythm for Bach's Bourree in E minor. Similarly Ilaiyaraaja's reverence for Mozart is evident from the melody entitled ``Mozart I love you'' from the album ``Nothing but Wind''.

When such has been the influence of Bach on the maestro, would the resultant influence of Mozart on Karthik also be on similar lines?

``That's too early to say'', says Karthik who plans to study music overseas. However at the moment, he is working on three albums including a Tamil folk and as they are in the nascent stages, he is hesitant to reveal everything about them. ``Each will be different and appealing too'', he says.

Yuvanshankar and Bhavatharini also evince keen interest in making music albums. In fact, it was when Yuvan was working on an album that the people concerned heard it and offered him ``Aravindan'', Yuvan's first film. Then came ``Velai''. But the movie that Yuvanshankar is banking on is ``Poovellam Kettu Paar.'' The audio cassette has been released and has already won accolades for Yuvan. ``It is not just the music. Many factors such as the director, his conception of the sequence and the picturisation contribute to the success of a film song,'' feels Yuvan. He is sure that the ``Poovellam Kettu Paar'' numbers will ring in the hearts of music lovers for long. ``Vasanth, the director of the film, encouraged me a lot,'' he adds.

Bhavatharini then shyly tells you that she is also working on an album. Entitled ``Sudandhiram'', the album is a culmination of her own experience and her brothers' assistance put together. Surely it should work wonders. Her music video ``Vaanil Vidiyal Vandhaachu'', shot in two days and telecast on Sun TV on Independence Day, proved an enriching experience for Bhavatha.

Her soulful rendition of ``Aravamudhe'' in Ilaiyaraaja's album, ``Ramanamalai'', cannot be forgotten easily. ``I practised it for a couple of days before the recording. The rest was smooth sailing'', she says. She is also singing a few Tamil and Kannada numbers for yet another religious album by Ilaiyaraaja, on Mookambika. But her vocation seems to be confined to singing for the family. ``Why... I have sung for Deva and Sirpi too'', she counters and reminds you of ``Thudikkindra Kadhal'', a popular number rendered by her in the film ``Naerukku Naer.''

``But singing for my father and Karthik is very taxing'', she confesses. ``They are not at all flexible and make you work till they get what they want out of you.'' At this juncture Karthik intervenes. ``Yes... sometimes even singers like Hariharan say that they find singing for me tougher than singing for dad.''

``Actually'', adds Bhavatha ``Karthik's notes and tunes may sound simple but they are very difficult to comprehend and render. Learning his modulation takes time. And he always wants me to sing very fast.'' And though singing for her father means being ticked off by him often, she loves it. As Bhavatha's brother, does he feel compelled to give her opportunities to sing? ``Yeah... I do feel compelled,'' he says in a lighter vein.

``No... he doesn't mean it. Only if the producer wants my voice can Karthik or Yuvan give me a chance'' comes the rejoinder in all its earnestness.

The ``Mastana'' number in ``Raasaiyya'' was a big hit and is very popular even today. ``'In fact...'' continues Bhavatharini, when Yuvan intervenes and quips, ``Yeah... in fact she broke the cassette.''

``No... no it only broke records'' Bhavatha clarifies and says ``these two love bullying me all the time'', the jocund mood had really set in.

The family as a whole is deeply religious. ``Yes.. all of us are. Whenever there is time we like to make a religious tour'', says Bhavatharini. It is quite natural because of the atmosphere they have grown in. ``The truth is, initially dad wasn't religious at all. It was mother's influence and her immense faith in God that brought about a transformation in him,'' says Karthik Raja.

All the three are in awe of their father. Ilaiyaraaja can simplify even the most difficult raga and make the layman understand and enjoy the music, they opine just as many others.

The maestro may have taken the film world by storm with his very first film, ``Annakkili'' but for his two sons who are toeing his line, every step is a measured one. The slow progress is rather palpable. ``True.. we have not come with a bang.. but we are here to stay. Success is coming at a slow pace and I feel it is good to be subdued and steady'', says Yuvan who also believes in time.

But Karthik refutes the time or luck factor. He feels luck can take one up to a certain point. It is potential that can bring permanence to one's achievements. ``You have to have something in you for you to last'', he categorically states and strongly believes in the adage of working hard and leaving the rest to the Almighty.

The conversation drifts to the glut in the number of audio albums that are flooding the market today. ``I think some cassette companies are to be blamed for the unhealthy scenario and making a quick buck seems to be the aim of a few singers and others involved. In the bargain, quality suffers,'' says Karthik.

It is an indisputable fact that today the popularity of a song is comparatively short lived. Also true is the fact that the singer's domination is minimal. Not many seem to be interested in who the singer is; it is the song that matters. Both Yuvan Shankar and Karthik agree on these aspects. ``But why the craze for one or the other voice is waning perplexes me. Probably each song sounds better than the earlier one. And like new cars people want something new all the time'', he adds. On the other hand Karthik feels that the mind-boggling technological advancement could be a significant reason for the singer slowly being relegated to the background. But again the concept and the effort of the entire team should lend a consummate wholesomeness to a song. Team spirit is vital and all achievers have had it. It is not the voice that is of primary importance, he says.

Today, the trend is to go in for more percussion and beat-based music. Fast paced, foot tapping numbers seem to be the order of the day. At least that is how it sounds and appears. Melody seems to be taking a backseat. Feeding the beats into a computer probably brings with it an air of complacence. ``No, the computer need not be a deterrent to good music at all,'' says Karthik. The famous ``Intha siripinai engu parthen'' (incidentally it is Karthik's favourite song) is a number that was entirely programmed, except for the live flute bit. It is a scintillating piece indeed. ``I composed the music for the song when I was in Ooty. I did not have a keyboard with me then. Neither was a tape recorder available. I had to remember the tune till I came back to Chennai,'' he recalls.

Karthik is very happy about having worked in the Hindi film ``Grahan'', a Jackie Shroff starrer. The movie has not been released but the songs have won him the R.D. Burman and Filmfare awards. ``Jackie heard the ``Manikkam'' songs and approached me and that's how I did ``Grahan''. Shashilal Nair also met me. I am working in the latter's next two projects also. Jackie also wants to work with me again. This kind of rapport is essential to work as a team,'' says Karthik.

Everyone showers eulogy on Ilaiyaraaja for his expertise and skill in re-recording. ``It is a gift. Watching him at the re- recording session is a fascinating experience in itself. Even while he is watching the scenes he writes the notations. And it would suit every scene to a T. I don't think anyone else can do that'', Yuvan says with a mixture of deference and pride. He was thrilled when his father liked his re-recording in ``Aravindan''. Yuvan is working in Sarath Kumar's next film, ``Sri Rama Jayam'' and for Sundar. C too. He has been offered hero's roles but he does not plan to switch over to acting. At least not for the moment. ``People should not say I became an actor only because my attempt as a composer was a fiasco. I plan to succeed in music scores first, and then let us see'', he says.

Innovative sruthi changes lent an inimitable mellifluity to some of Ilaiyaraaja's songs. ``Sangeethame En Dhaivame'' from ``Kovil Pura'', where the sruthi change gives the raga Rasikapriya, Mayamalavagowla overtones is one such. ``Right... dad tried shifts in modulation. I've tried it internally in the song ``Konjum Manjal Pookal'' and in the violin bit in ``Veesum Kaatrukku'' (``Ullasam''). The music is very animated and the shift is very subtle'', Karthik Raja explains. So also when discussing the fusion of classical and Western as in Ilaiyaraaja's ``Kanna Thorakkanum sami'' number and the Carnatic and Western fusion his father excelled in, Karthik is excited. ``Very true... I have also tried to create the effect of a flowing kind of music in the Asha Bhonsle song, ``Aaj mey kush...'' The starting key is F major and I have modulated the key not as a chord progression but as a shift in key.''

His first song, ``Pandianin Rajiyathil'' in Rajinikanth's ``Pandian'' showed the potential that this young man possesses. Ilaiyaraaja who scored the music for the film was too busy with other things that the chance to compose the music for one song fell in the hands of Karthik Raja. And that is how his career began.

``Kasu Mela Kasu Vandhu'' from ``Kadhala Kadhala'' is a number that Karthik tried more as an experiment and making Udit Narayanan sing a folk song was part of it. ``I wanted to make a song without a tune,'' he smiles. ``I am happy that it became such a hit.'' He feels the picturisation also helped in the success of the song. ``I have other new ideas which I would love to use,'' he adds.

Bhavatharini, on the other hand, wants to concentrate more on singing. ``My aim is to give solo Carnatic music performances,'' she says with confidence.

Their vocation is music. For relaxation too it is music that they primarily turn to. And with so much music in their lives, it is but natural that it is their profession too. The maestro may have paved the way for his children, but the youngsters are toiling hard to succeed... and to make their success stay.

"The pressure on me is going to be enormous," the teenager says. "Even if I do good work, they will only say that it is because of my father's guidance."

The words are already proving to be prophetic. For when his debut music score for the recently released Tamil film Maanickam hit the music shelves and proved an instant hit, the carping whispers went that his famous father had actually scored the tunes, then put his son's name to it in order to counter the challenge of the hot young brigade of composers headed by A R Rehman.

Inevitable, perhaps, if your name is Karthik Raja. Son, in case it needs mentioning, of the doyen of southside composers, Ilayaraja.

"Sure, they say my music is inspired by my father's," shrugs Karthik. "And perhaps it even is, who knows? But this is something that happens not just to me, but to every composer. The thing is, my father has composed in so many idioms, his work spans such a wide spectrum of styles, that no matter what you do, there will be some resemblance to something he has done earlier. I guess it is inevitable, these comparisons," says the youngster with calm acceptance.

But there are enough people who apparently recognise the teenager as a composer in his own right - foremost among them a certain Amitabh Bachchan. The Bollywood icon first commissioned Karthik to score the tune for the launch announcement of the Big B range of music cassettes, and followed that up with a commission to score for ABCL's first Tamil venture, Ullaasam.

"I guess my interest in music began when I was around seven," recalls the youngster, relaxing in the Raja home in suburban Madras. "That was when I began accompanying my father to the studio for recording sessions, and I got hooked. By the time I entered junior college, I was pretty certain that commerce and economics was not for me, so I dropped out. And here I am..."

Introspection appears to be one of the traits he has picked up from his father, and Karthik's mood is definitely introspective as he talks of the differences he perceives between his musical taste and that of his famous father. "Dad is the classicist, the perfectionist. He believes in proper scales, does not like to deviate from the rules. He does compose in a wide variety of idioms, but always taking care to stick within the traditions of music. As for me, I love Hindustani, Carnatic, Western classical, even pop and heavy metal which my father disdains. And I don't like to stay within the limits of the rule book when composing," he smiles. "I like to innovate."

And if that sounds iconoclastic - especially given that his father is himself the icon of southern composers - then Karthik hastens to point out that he holds his father's ability in enormous respect. "He has done everything there is to do," Karthik says, simply. "The rest of us can only follow along paths he has already charted."

The father-son relationship is equally strong, Karthik admits, though he quickly adds that he is not overly fond of the "we are more like good friends than father and son" type of relationship. "That becomes too casual, I don't like it," he says firmly. "But dad and I are very close. In fact, I am closer to my father than to my brother and sister."

For the record, his sister Paavadharani recently debuted as a playback singer with the hit song Mastaana Mastaana in the Prabhu Deva starrer Rasaiyya (Chaila, in the Hindi version). And brother Yuvanshankar will debut as a composer in his own right in the soon to be released Tamil film Aravindan.

While on the Raja family, it is surprising that critics of Karthik's musical efforts thus far do not even mention his famous uncle, Ilayaraja's brother, Gangai Amaran. Who, after establishing a musical identity distinct from that of his younger and more famous brother, moved on in recent years into the realm of producing and directing his own films. But then, the relative obscurity of Amaran is probably just another indicator of the enormous shadow Ilayaraja casts on the field of film music, especially down south.

Karthik is only too aware of the enormous struggle his father and uncle had to undergo before making it big, he recounts with awe the stories that are already part of Tamil folklore - of how his father and uncle walked miles, from studio to studio and producer to producer, looking for a break, their harmoniums carried on their heads.

In fact, a Tamil actor who hails from Ilayaraja's own village in interior Tamil Nadu recalled in a recent television interview that "Raja used to go everywhere with the harmonium on his head, and maybe the music just seeped straight into him because of that. Even today, he scratches his head, and promptly comes up with a fresh tune."

True, Ilayaraja does have a habit of scratching his head while composing - but the rest could well belong in the realm of apocrypha. One more thread in the fable of part fact, part fiction, that today shrouds the living legend of film music. But Karthik, for one, is deeply aware of his father's long years of struggle. "I sometimes think," the lad muses, "that my father underwent even my share of struggle. I've had it all handed to me on a platter," he says, simply.

Whether or not the youngster has inherited his father's musical abilities is debatable, but the resemblances between father and son go much deeper than mere facial similarities. Karthik, for instance, is like his father deeply religious, and a constant pilgrim to the temple of Goddess Mookambika in Kerala. This religiosity extends even to his pleasures - his idea of a holiday, the teenager says, is to travel to "places that haven't been spoiled by tourism, and where I can see old temples and maybe palaces."

Another point of resemblance between father and son is a tendency towards introspection, a penchant for long, thoughtful silences. An erstwhile film journalist recounted to me his own experience when he once went to interview Ilayaraja. "He invited me into his room at Prasad Recording Studio (in Kodambakkam, in central Madras). It is a bare room, with just one straw mat to sit on and piles of the special, personalised notepaper Raja uses to compose on.

"After sitting cross legged on the floor for a bit, he suddenly got up and switched off the airconditioner - in August, mind you, when it is hottest in Madras. Then he sat, in the lotus posture, eyes closed, while I sweltered in the heat of that enclosed room. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and in his trademark soft voice, said, 'The best music can be heard in the sounds of silence', and then closed his eyes again to listen some more..."

Karthik may not have reached such extremes yet, but he does admit that he is a loner by nature. "I prefer to talk to elderly people, with them you are always learning something," says the youngster whose conversation is often at sharp variance with his years. "With the guys in my age group, it is fun but it is also trifling with time."

Where Karthik, whose favourite instrument incidentally is the piano, appears to differ from most other composers is that it is not composing film songs that he finds the ultimate turn-on - he would rather do background scores. "That is where the challenge is," he says simply. "It is the score that breathes life into a scene, there is a lot of psychology involved in making the music fit the mood. And sometimes, in an emotion-charged scene that is visually static, it is the composer who has, with his music, got to infuse the emotions into the audience - and that is the ultimate challenge."

Not surprisingly, Ilayaraja himself acknowledged this penchant of his son when he allowed Karthik to compose the background for nine reels of director Priyadarshan's recent hit film on the freedom struggle, Kaalapani - a film which, incidentally, picked up four national awards early last month.

Karthik is very clear that he does not like interference while composing - and equally quick to point out that his father, for one, never interferes.

"It is alright for the producer and director to tell me what their requirements are, but after that they should leave me alone to compose," he says firmly. "I don't like someone sitting on my head, saying change this, change that. If they don't like what I produce they can say so, and I will try to come up with something else to suit their requirements. But I don't like being constantly interfered with when composing."

In this respect, Karthik is all praise for Amitabh Bachchan. "He listened to my tunes (for the ABCL film), approved the ones he liked and was very encouraging, without ever intruding," says Karthik, obviously impressed by the Bollywood icon who, he says, he found surprisingly down to earth.

On his slate, at the moment, is Alexander, which will hit the Tamil marquee in August. And then there is the ABCL project, work on which is already well underway. And a few other projects which, he says, it is too premature to speak of as yet.

And then there is his studies. Karthik is, as of now, learning Carnatic vocal from noted singer and composer K Dakshinamoorthy. And - more points of resemblance - his voice, which is almost a carbon copy of his father's, prompts the question of whether Karthik will, some day, begin singing as his father has done in several films. "Yes, maybe someday I will," smiles the youngster.

Karthik Raja has what appears to be a ponderous way of speaking. He listens to your question in total silence, then thinks for a bit before answering in calm, measured tones. And the pause for thought is longest when, just before leaving, I ask him what his goal in life is.

"My goal," he says, the voice soft yet assured, "is to learn as much about music as I can. And, someday, to be acknowledged as a good composer in my own right."

You can hear the music even as you step in through the doorway. From the lobby, a large semi-circular hall is visible. The facing wall is covered with portraits of singers past and present. Probably this is where this family of prodigies practises its melodies. Karthik Raja, son of maestro Ilayaraja, emerges from within. Diminutive and slightly built, he has his father's looks. Given time, he will be as famous as his father. Sober and dignified, Karthik says he is not into partying and spends most of his time at home. Karthik Raja is 23, born on 29th June 1973. Music is his pre-occupation, apart from a liking for video games. His brother, Yuvan Shankar, 19 and sister Bhawatarani, 20, are also extremely talented. Yuvan Shankar has started composing music for films and Bhawatarani is making a name for herself as a singer. She sang the Mastana song in the movie Raasaiya scored by Ilayaraja.

As for Karthik, it seems almost unfair that one so young should have achieved so much. He has scored music for three Tamil movies and has plans to cut two pop albums - one on his own and another with a label he would not like to name now. Both brothers studied at St. Beads and Bhawatarani in the neighbouring Rosary School. Piano classes at 'Musee Musical', Chennai, which is a branch of Trinity College, London, gave him his grounding in instrumental music. Yuvan Shankar also attended classes there. Weekend trips with his father and helping out on the keyboard while still in school provided Karthik with the initial exposure to orchestration. He left high school in mid-1992 and joined his father full-time. Karthik started out by scoring the background music for some of his father's movies: Rajnikant's Uzhaipali and Sathyaraj's Amaidhippadai. He also composed songs for Pandian and Atma which went down very well with audiences. Panchu Arunachalam's Alexander which was released this Diwali was his first movie as music director. He also composed music for two other movies released in August this year: Manickam and Enakona magan Pirappan. For the latter, he completed the score in July. Alexander took much longer. He scored background music in a week's time. The songs took two weeks.

"It is difficult for me to break out of my father's shadow. So important is his contribution to music in general," says Karthik. "He sets new boundaries with every venture. Most of what future composers will produce belong to the territory my father would have covered much before in his career. His strength is his ability to comprehend the spirit of the movie." "My father gained his experience and feeling for the Tamil music psyche when he travelled through the state in his younger days, with his elder brother, Pavalar, who sang while he played harmonium," says Karthik.

He is now working on Ullasam, which will be produced by ABCL (the firm's first venture in Tamil movies). An urban love triangle scheduled for release on Pongal (January 14), it has Ajith Kumar in the lead. Karthik has worked with S.P. Balasubramaniam, Hariharan and Unnikrishnan. Also on his agenda is Jackie Sheroff's first production, Grahan in Hindi, directed by Shashilal Nair. The tunes will be ready in December. R. D. Burman is the music director of his choice. "He changed film music for all time. He gave it a different colour altogether." "A. R. Rahman has great awareness of sound. He has succeeded in introducing a new sound regime. Roja left a big impression on me." The two pop albums he is working on have not been named yet. Both are different projects; there will be videos for both. Initially scheduled for a January release they will probably be available in April or May. At present, Karthik is learning Carnatic music. Jazz his special interest and he wants to learn jazz piano. He has not made any advertisement jingles yet. But he is willing to if he is offered any.