Summary:
However, neither Karunanidhi nor Hanifa allowed their divergent political fortunes to tarnish their brotherly affection for each other. Hanifa’s rousing anthems boosted the fortunes of Tamil political parties from the 1930s. It was a bond forged in adolescence that tied Karunanidhi, an avowed atheist, with Hanifa, who started his career as a singer of Muslim devotional songs, and remained, despite his foray into politics, most closely associated to music. Annadurai and Karunanidhi have become an indelible part of the political history of Tamil Nadu. As the State mourns the death of the DMK president M.
Karunanidhi, many people familiar with Tamil music will recall the strong friendship between him and singer ‘Isai murasu’ Esmail Mohamed Hanifa..