‘Isaignani’ Ilaiyaraaja who has composed for over 1,000 films during the span of his illustrious career has now composed for a corporate brand – Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB). This is the first time that Maestro, as he is called, has composed a corporate anthem. The news was shared by the company recently.
A release from HCCB reads, “Beginning with a soft and mellifluous tune on the flute, the anthem bears his signature and is eminently identifiable as his work...the anthem gradually extends into a powerful visual of India. In many ways, the music represents the new India, which is traditional and yet contemporary; always on the move, inspiring others and the world in the process.”
The brand also shared a making-of video on YouTube calling the tune “relevant for both conventional and contemporary audience.” The video has Kamalesh Kumar Sharma, HCCB’s Chief Communication Officer, Prathap Suthan, Founder and Chief Creative Director of the agency BangInTheMiddle, and Rajeev Raja, Founder and Soundsmith at Brandmusiq discussing the tune and their experience of having worked with Ilaiyaraaja.
Ilaiyaraaja who debuted as a music composer in the 1976 Tamil film Annakili has over 7,000 compositions to his credit.
This tune was composed at Prasad Studios in Chennai, where the composer is known to have composed most of his music. Recently, however, it was revealed that the studio and the composer were not on good terms, with the studio denying him permission to work from their premises. Directors Bharathiraja, Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman and a few others had visited Prasad Studios last week to resolve the issue. The composer, however, has not made any comment to address the controversy yet.