Thamarai is a writer and poet, belonging to the Tamil language. She has also penned numerous popular film songs, including Vaseegara and Ivan Yaaro of Minnale, Idhu Thaana of Saamy, all songs of Kakka Kakka and many others. She owns an amazing record, alongside composer Harris Jayaraj and director Gautam Menon.
She also wrote hit songs for Ghajini, Sandakozhi, Bheemaa, Kaakha Kaakha, Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, Rowthiram, Pachaikili Muthucharam, 7aum Arivu, Yennai Arindhaal, Maara, Viswasam, Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal, Pasanga, Subramaniapuram, Si3 & Vaaranam Aayiram. She penned lyrics for several evergreen songs of actor Suriya, among many others.
Thamarai – Poet and Lyricist of Tamil
Thamarai started her career as a freelance journalist in Chennai
Thamarai was born in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu on 10 November 1975. After completing B. Tech graduation in Production Engineering, Coimbatore, she worked for 6 years in the engineering field. But her passion to poetry prompted her to move to Chennai. Initially, she worked as a freelance journalist full-time, and wrote essays, stories and poems while in Chennai. Her works got noticed, which paved her way into films.
Tamil director Seeman gave her the first break in 1998
Thamarai penned the song “Thendral Enthan” for the 1998 film directed by Seeman. This marked her entry into the Tamil film industry. Deva composed the song. Subsequently, she wrote lyrics for Thenali and Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen, which became instant hits. In 1999, she penned 5 songs for composer Deva for 5 different movies. Thenali marked her first collaboration with A. R. Rahman in 2000. But the real break happened in the year 2002.
The real breakthrough came through the movie, Minnale, released in 2001
When director Gautam Vasudev Menon and composer Harris Jayaraj debuted in Tamil cinema through Minnale, they collaborated with lyricist Thamarai for their new project. Minnale became the biggest musical hit of the year, with Thamarai’s songs – Vaseegara, Iru Vizhi Unadhu and Ivan Yaaro. She used the rarely used Tamil word Vaseegara to pen the most romantic track of the album, which became the turning point of her career. Thamarai never turned back, and she went on to become one of the top Tamil lyricists of the new millennium.
After Minnale, the trio joined hands for Kaakha Kaakha, Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, Pachaikili Muthucharam, Vaaranam Aayiram, Dhruva Natchathiram and many others, which marked a new beginning in Tamil film music. They continued their association till the magical duo stopped working together. Later, she teamed up with Rahman for Gautham movies starting with Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, which was an instant hit.
She penned more than 500 film songs
Later she associated with different music composers, and give some evergreen songs to Tamil music lovers. Over a stellar career spanning to nearly 3 decades, Thamarai has penned around 500 film songs for Tamil cinema. Out of her 500 songs, at least 100 tracks turned into massive, generation-defining chartbusters.
She strictly writes in pure, beautiful Tamil, completely avoiding the mixing of English or slang words. She tries to give a poetic feel to her songs. “Vaseegara” (Minnale), “Uyirin Uyire” (Kaakha Kaakha), “Oru Maalai” (Ghajini), “Nenjukkul Peidhidum” (Vaaranam Aayiram), “Kangal Irandal” (Subramaniapuram), “Thalli Pogathey” (Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada), and the more recent sensation “Mallipoo” (Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu) are among her evergreen hits.
Recognitions and honours, including 6 Filmfare nominations
As a lyricist, she received Filmfare awards thrice – Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010), Vaaranam Aayiram (2008) and Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada (2016). The songs of Thenali earned her Tamil Nadu state awards for the year 2000. She also received the State Film Honorary Award – Paavender Bharathidasan Award in 2006.
She published a collection of Tamil poems, titled Oru Kadhavu Thirandhe Lirukkiradhu.
Her marriage to activist Thozhar Thiyagu resulted in separation
They got married in 2002 and have a son named Samaran. There is a 26-year age gap between them. Thozhar Thiyagu is a well-known socio-political activist, writer, and leader within the Tamil national movement. When they were married in 2002, Thamarai was around 27 years old, while Thiyagu was around 53. But the marriage didn’t last long. Their personal lives faced a highly publicized and difficult turning point around late 2014 to 2015 when Thiyagu left their home.
After he left the house in November 2014, he never went back to live with Thamarai. He stated that he had not gone into hiding or run away, but he made it absolutely clear that he had no intention of returning to his married life with Thamarai. She raised her child alone.
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