Legendary musician Ilaiyaraaja has sparked controversy over his condolences message to actor-director Manobala, who passed away on Wednesday. Ilaiyaraaja has drawn a huge criticism for his remarks with some people asking him to stop being arrogant. 

Ilaiyaraaja is also a Rajya Sabha MP and under the guise of remembering his times with Manobala, the musician said that Manobala was one among many directors who waited on a bridge to see him while he was crossing in his car. Though Ilaiyaraaja had a good rapport with Manobala, such overt remarks while paying his last respects to Manobala didn't catch well with his fans. 

Paying tribute to Manobala, Ilaiyaraaja released a video message in which he said, "I am deeply saddened after hearing the news of Manobala's death. He had a great level of respect and regard for me. Manobala was one among the directors who used to wait on Kodambakkam bridge (in Chennai) to see me when I am travelling in my car. Even after becoming an actor and a director, he would come to me and talk about all the things that happen in the cinema industry during my recording sessions. This had brought me happiness." 

Reacting to Ilaiyaraaja's remarks, several fans said that they admire him as a musician but his remarks were narcissistic and egoistic. A Twitter user wrote, "Please control your arrogance Ilaiyaraaja, you are conveying a tribute message." Another user wrote, "Mr. Ilaiyaraaja - As a fan, I love your music and admire your talent. But as a human being, I think you are just self centered, egoistic, and lack in decency. RIP Manobala." 

It is pertinent to note that Ilaiyaraaja has composed music for two movies directed by Manobala - En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan and Agaya Gangai. Manobala breathed his last on Wednesday at his residence in Chennai at the age of 69 due to liver related ailments. As a veteran artist, Manobala had been a successful icon in Kollywood and was well known for his comic scenes. Besides directing 20 movies, he has also featured in hundreds of movies and his appearances before the camera were vital in buidling a successful career in the cinema. He was deeply respected and admired by the fellow celebrities and followers. 

As a protege of legendary director Bharathiraja, Manobala has inspired every artist in the industry and made fans through his hilarious comedies and humours. He was under treatment for heart and liver-related ailment for quite some time and he had also undergone angio treatment earlier this January. He had been under medical treatment at his residence in LV Prasad Road, Saligramam in Chennai for the past two weeks. Amid the medical treatment, Manobala breathed his last on Wednesday. 

Born in Thiruvaiyaru in the Thanjavur district in 1953, Manobala's birth name was Balachander and he began his career as an assistant director to Bharathiraja. Manobala made his directorial debut in 1982 through the movie "Agaya Gangai" in which Karthik and Suhashini played the lead roles. He has also directed the movie 'Oorkavalan' in which Superstar Rajinikanth played the lead role and some of his other movies include Vijayakanth starred 'Sirai Paravai', Prabhu starred 'Moodu Manthiram', Ramki starred 'Vetri Padigal' and Shivaji Ganesan starred 'Paarambariyam'.

On the front of acting, Manobala has acted in several movies including 'Pithamagan', 'Perazhagan', 'Chandramukhi', 'Anniyan', 'Ghajini', 'Nanban', 'Kalakalappu', 'Thupakki', and 'Aranmanai'. Some of his recent movies include 'Naai Sekar', 'Yutha Satham', 'Oh My Dog', 'Don', and 'Naai Sekar Returns'. His recent movies 'Kondraal Paavam' and 'Ghosty' hit the theatres earlier this year. Manobala had been acting in actor Vijay starred 'Leo', directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. Manobala also took an avatar as a producer through bankrolling the superhit 'Sathuranga Vettai'. 

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Maestro @TheMaestroRaja Condolence Message about Dir @manobalam Demise… pic.twitter.com/gqRLcJNzxg

— Nikil Murukan (@onlynikil) May 3, 2023