app,
I can say that I welcomed Rahman with open arms :) Staying at Hyd and not knowing much about the TF industry, I was unaware of Mani-Raja fallout. Infact I was not aware that Mani was making 'Roja'. So it came as a big surprise to us when it got released. And we loved the songs. Mani was our favorite director then and I didn't mind him going to a new director. For the two to three years, all Rahman tapes were bought and listened to, even before the movie was released, even including 'Super Police' (Telugu) (which Rahman himself may want to forget.) 'Thiruda Thiruda', 'Kadhalan', 'Bombay' etc. were heard much before the film was released. As I kept on listening, slowly the fascination for those songs dropped as well as fascination of Maniratnam's movies. (Nothing to do with him not working with Raja.) But that is a different subject altogether.
I am also surprised, as others, that you haven't heard 'kozhi koovum'. Thought it was fairly popular.