Mano on Ilayaraja n Rahman

Singer Mano talked very sound about his Guru Ilayaraja and well-wisher Rahman. He said,"To talk about Ilayaraja is like a discourse on God. It was he who game me a career as a singer. To see him is a gift. To sing a song under him is a boon. He is the fastest musical mind I have ever seen in my life. He himself is a treasure of instruments. He can compose native and original tune in just 20 minutes. I challenge, no one can compete with him, even today. He is the best and no.1 in the area of background music too. "

He talked great of Rahman, who gave him new life as a singer. Mano, who was long considered as a carbon copy of SPB, got unique recognision and fame with Muqala from Premikudu (Kadhalan). He said," Rahman has his own strategy and power to create magic tunes. For the song Muqala Muqabula, Rahman asked me to do something different by changing my voice. He wanted a little variety and he said you can do something that will make people sit up and ask who the singer is.''

"I mimicked a few voices and he liked the duplication of R. D. Burman. He asked me to continue to sing in the same voice. When I was recording something told me the song was going to be a hit the beat, the sound and rhythm. I rendered that song in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. It has given me new life. If in a year a playback singer gets the opportunity to sing three or four songs like this, he can stay in the hearts and minds of the people. I am truly grateful to Rahman.''
He followed with hits like Thillana from Muthu, and Azhagiya Lailaa from Ullathai Alli Tha.