Chennai:
Deploring that Centre had not accepted her recommendation for conferring Padma awards on veteran Tamil film music composer duo Viswantahan-Ramamurthy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa says a day would come when she will have a stronger say in such matters, hinting at her role in national politics.
"I had recommended their names to the Central government for the Padma awards last year. But the Centre, which has adverse views against the state government, did not pay heed to that," she said on Wednesday at a felicitation function organised for the popular duo credited with producing numerous memorable musical numbers during their several decades long career.
Jayalalithaa, herself a former actor who had starred opposite veterans like M G Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan, said it was "regrettable" that Viswanathan and Ramamurthy, hailed as the 'Melody Kings' were yet to be awarded the country's top honours though they had won several other accolades.
However, Jayalalithaa, who has of late been eyeing a bigger role for herself at the national level, said the time will come when she will have a stronger say in such matters.
"MSV (as 84-year Viswanathan is called in the industry) may say that he is content with the accolades given by the people; but a time will come when the awards will be given when I tell (recommend). That day, I will ensure they get Padma awards," she said.
The Chief Minister heaped praises on the musical duo, who ruled the Tamil film world with their evergreen tunes, at the felicitation which also marked the 14th anniversary celebrations of AIADMK-backed Jaya TV and attended by top Tamil stars Rajinikanth and Kamalhassan besides music director Ilayaraja.
She especially recalled that Viswanathan, who together with Ramamurthy had scored music for over 700 films, had been active in the field for over 50 years.