Rajinikanth: I took eight hours to sing four lines

Amitabh Bachchan feels that there is something divine and godly about Ilaiyaraaja.
“If you have been to his music room, to his house, there is a peculiar divine atmosphere,” said Amitabh, who asked Rajinikant about the same since Rajinikant too has been close to divinity. When Rajnikanth was asked about this similarity between them, he replied, “I have enjoyed all the worldly things, materialistic pleasure, and then a time comes when you aspire for bigger things, higher things in life.This is true even in Raaja’s case probably.”
READ: Rajinikanth: Lesser known facts
When Big B pointed out that Kamal Haasan has sung for Ilaiyaraaja, Kamal replied tongue-in-cheek, “That is his misfortune; he is not all the time fortunate.” Rajinikanth, in one of his films in which Ilaiyaraaja had scored the music, had just four lines to sing. “I took eight hours to sing that,” laughed Rajinikanth.
Talking about his singing experience, Kamal Haasan, said, “Raaja has been a friend, he has been a brother, but the truth is that he is also my guru. I thought I knew film singing until I met Raaja. To sing for the mike, to correct yourself, to learn those little tricks... I watched about 100 re-recordings and background scores during music sessions. Today it is helping me as a director. Now I sound like a music director, thanks to Raaja.”
Incidentally, in what one may call his remarkable achievement, Ilaiyaraaja has given music for four years continuously for 56 films, including background score. And most of these films have been huge box office successes.
Listen to Shamitabh songs on Gaana.com
Follow TOI Entertain on Twitter >>> @ TOIEntertain
Like TOI Entertain on Facebook >>> TOIEntertain
WATCH: Rajinikanth's family watches 'Lingaa' with his fans - TOI