Anyone looking to explore Illayaraja’s non-Tamil songs this one is unmissable such an iconic song that also started the Illayaraja – Mani Ratnam collaboration up until Thalapathy. Everyone knows about this song and loves it, I wanted this song to be part of this series and hence it is here.

When Illayaraja was introduced to Mani Ratnam through Balu mahendra, the latter mentioned that he was doing a Kannada film with a shoestring budget and he wouldn’t be able to pay Illayaraja’s original remuneration, Raaja agreed to do the film for one-fifth of his salary. This incident was mentioned in his Biography “Conversations with Mani Ratnam by Bharadwaj Rangan”

Song – 86

Song: Naguva Nayana
Movie: Pallavi Anu Pallavi
Singers: SPB and S. Janaki
Lyricist: R.N. Jeyagopal
Actors: Anil Kapoor, Lakshmi, Kiran Vairale, Vikram makandar and others.
Director: Mani Ratnam