The Mysuru Yuva Dasara, which ended on Saturday, was made even more special this year with performances by Badshah and Ilaiyaraaja, who received a lot of love for their appreciation of the Kannada language. Badshah, known for his energetic songs, delighted the audience by speaking in Kannada towards the end of the event, which was met with cheers. In his address, he humbly stated, “I am not a star, not a superstar, not a singer - I am just a writer, expressing my emotions. I am one among all of you.” Videos of Badshah conversing in Kannada after the event went viral on social media. Ilaiyaraaja, the renowned composer who has worked on music for more than 30 Kannada films, shared a video before the event where he spoke in Kannada and later sought blessings at the Chamundeshwari temple. During his performance of popular Kannada songs, he also fondly recalled his visit to Mysuru in 1974 for a private concert. He mentioned his role in recommending Dr Rajkumar to sing the song Yaare Koogadali for the movie Sampathige Savaal in 1974, which marked the start of the beloved actor’s singing career in Kannada cinema.