Rajinikanth reveals how Ilaiyaraaja did not shed tears for his family, but cried after close friend SP Balasubrahmanyam died

Rajinikanth and Illayaaraja

Fans of both Ilaiyaraaja and SP Balasubrahmanyam were left shocked when the two close friends had an open falling out after the former sued the singer over his songs being used without royalty.

It was a very infamous fallout between two very close friends and popular personalities in the music industry. Ilaiyaraaja didn't like the fact that SP Balasubhramanyam and many other singers performed his songs at concerts without paying him royalty.

But the friends couldn't stay enemies for long and the two reunited in 2019, a year before SP passed away.

Recalling the true friendship of Ilaiyaraaja and SPB, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth revealed that the noted composer broke down when the singer passed away in 2020.

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Rajinikanth made this revelation at the 50th Golden Jubilee Celebrations for Ilaiyaraaja in Chennai.

Rajinikanth revealed how Ilaiyaraaja moved court to fight for the royalty rights of the songs he had composed.

"SP Balasubrahmanyam went to America for a concert. Swami (Ilaiyaraaja) said he is singing my songs; he cannot, the law is the same for everyone. SPB got upset and decided to stop singing his songs," he said.

Then Rajinikanth went on to say that Ilaiyaraaja was heartbroken and cried when the singer passed away in 2020. “No one can take their place. When SPB died from Covid, he (Ilaiyaraaja) did not shed tears for his brother, his wife, or his daughter. His tears were shed for his friend," he shared.

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Ilaiyaraaja, who was married to Jeeva Rajayya, had three children together—Karthik Raja, Bhavatharini, and Yuvan Shankar Raja.

His wife, Jeeva, passed away in October 2011 and January 2024, his daughter, Bhavatharini, died of cancer. Karthik and Yuvan are also music composers.

Ilaiyaraaja still fights for the rights of his songs.

Despite being a close friend of Rajinikanth, Ilaiyaraaja and his team have sent legal notice to the producers of Coolie, Sun Pictures, for using his composition in the promotional song Coolie Disco.

In recent times, he sent legal notices to the producers of Manjummel Boys and Good Bad Ugly for using his songs.