Chennai recently witnessed an emotional musical tribute titled Anandha Yaazhai, held in memory of the late lyricist Na Muthukumar on his 50th birth anniversary. The event honoured his prolific contribution to Tamil cinema, where he penned lyrics for over 1,000 films and won numerous National and State awards. In addition to his work in films, Muthukumar was also a noted poet and essayist. He passed away at the age of 41 due to jaundice on August 14th, 2016.
Actor Sivakarthikeyan, who donates his lyric-writing earnings towards the education of Muthukumar’s child, spoke warmly at the event. “This is not charity, it’s a responsibility,” he said. Reflecting on Muthukumar’s legacy, he noted, “His Tamil is everywhere. Without him, composers feel like one-sided lovers.”
On a lighter note, Siva joked that he’s now writing lyrics himself, and encouraged Muthukumar’s son to explore poetry, noting his linguistic talent. Sivakarthikeyan is currently awaiting the release of Madharasi and filming Parasakthi, with another project lined up with director Venkat Prabhu.