'Naan thedum sevanthi poo' is a wonderful composition by Ilaiyaraaja from the film Dharma Pathini, starring Karthik and Jeevitha.

It is set in the carnatic raaga of Hindolam, although it has a very non-carnatic rhythm and bass pattern, and can therefore be referred to as a semi-classical composition.

It is a good example of an Ilaiyaraaja tune, where he has perfectly fused classical western and carnatic influences to create a true masterpiece.

The very beginning of the song is an excellent embellishment of the Hindolam raaga; sung by the maestro himself, the vibrant and colourful ad-lib (a spontaneous improvisation of a tune) will stay with the rasika for a very long time.

An unforgettable moment is where Ilaiyaraaja performed this piece at his live show 'Andrum Indrum Endrum' and the crowd went absolutely wild after a few notes of the ad-lib. See the live performance below:

 Whilst announcing the song, actor Partheeban even expressed that this aalapanai is so soulful, that one can die blissfully and contentedly after listening to it. This statement just about sums up the entire song.

S. Janaki also produced an absolutely flawless rendition, perfecting her subtly underplayed role as the coy, young girl who is being courted by a love interest.

One can always rely on S. Janaki, from the 60's to the present day, to sing with such emotion, touching on avenues where other singers have never gone before.

S.P. Balasubramaniam notably constantly praises 'Janaki Amma', how he affectionately refers to the multi award winning singer, and her ability to present such a vast and varied display of emotions in the studio as well as on stage.

Other Hindolam tunes by Ilaiyaraaja include the stunningly beautiful 'Pothi Vacha Malligai Mottu' (Mann Vaasanai) and 'Ohm Namasivaya' (Salangai Oli).