MM Keeravaani: The Indian composer who made the world dance to Naatu Naatu

Music composer MM Keeravaani has been grabbing attention for his song Naatu Naatu for more than a year.

At the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, he was on top of the world as he shouted it out from the world's biggest cinema stage when he won the Best Original Song Oscar for his exuberant track and doffed his hat to The Carpenters while doing so.

An elated Keeravaani said, "I grew up listening to The Carpenters and now here I am with the Oscars." 

The Andhra Pradesh-born music composer is known as MM Kreem to Hindi music lovers.

He wrote his name in history books, when he bagged the first Academy Award for an Indian feature film production.

The 61-year-old, who made the world dance to the hit number from SS Rajamouli's Telugu period action blockbuster, went on to sing his acceptance speech to the tune of the band's 1970s hit 'Top of the World'.

"There was only one wish on my mind, so was Rajamouli's and our families'... 'RRR' has to win, the pride of every Indian, and it must put me on top of the world," Keeravaani sang to thunderous applause from the audience gathered at the theatre on Monday.

Much like the film that was released in four languages and his celebrated number - Naattu Koothu in Tamil, Naacho Naacho in Hindi, Karinthol in Malayalam, and 'Haali Naatu' in Kannada - Keeravani's work has spanned genres, regions, and many moods.

Among his best-known songs, is the Telugu track Thelusa Manasa, a breezy love ballad sung by SP Balasubrahmanyam and KS Chitra, in the film Criminal.

Up north, the composer is best known to audiences for Tum Mile from the Hindi version of the film.

Koduri Marakathamani Keeravaani, who works across the film industries in India, made his debut in 1990 with the Telugu film Manasu Mamatha but success came calling with Ram Gopal Varma's Telugu blockbuster film Kshana Kshanam a year later.

While he is MM Keeravaani in the Telugu and Malayalam film industries, he is known as Marakathamani in the Tamil industry, and MM Kreem in the Hindi circuit.

Keeravaani is the man behind Hindi film songs such as Gali Mein Aaj Chaand Nikla from the 1988 film Zakhm, as well as Aa Bhi Ja and Dil Mein Jaagi from the 2002 movie Sur - The Melody of Life.

Then there are songs such as Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai and Aawarapan Banjarapan from Jism (2003), and Maine Dil Se Kaha from Rog (2005).

Rajamouli and Keeravaani are first cousins, their fathers are brothers.

Born to a Telugu family in Kovvur, Andhra Pradesh, the composer is the son of Koduri Siva Shakthi Datta, a lyricist and screenwriter, best known for the song Mamathala Thalli from Baahubali: The Beginning, another Rajamouli hit.

Rajamouli's father and RRR co-writer V Vijayendra Prasad is Datta's younger brother.

Call it a familial bond or trust in his ability, Rajamouli bet big on his cousin right from his directorial debut, Student No 1, in Telugu in 2001.

The pathbreaking success of the movie, which starred Jr NTR, Gajala, and Rajeev Kanakala, started a collaboration that continued with a series of Telugu titles, including actioner "Simhadri", sports action movie Sye, fantasy epic Magadheera and the Baahubali series.

The Oscar for Naatu Naatu is a huge win for the unassuming Keeravaani.

It caps the international momentum of months, recalling the buzz around Jai Ho, A R Rahman's hit-track from the British film Slumdog Millionaire in 2009.

It took more than a decade for an Indian song and musician to win an Oscar again in the category, but what makes the honour more special this time is that it is for an Indian production.

"Glass Onion" stars Kate Hudson and Janelle Monae presented the trophy to Keeravaani and Chandrabose.

The song also won a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award.

In January, Keeravaani was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honour.

Naatu Naatu, which translates to bucolic in Telugu, was a runaway hit at home in India with the release of Rajamouli's magnum opus.

Soon, viewers in the West were also swept away in the irreverent yet inclusive vibe of the 4.35-minute song, danced by leading stars Ram Charan and Jr NTR.

The rousing soundtrack and background score of "RRR", a fictional tale set in pre-Independent India following the adventures of real-life revolutionaries Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (Jr NTR) is the bedrock of the film's success around the globe.

Actor Deepika Padukone, who introduced the song at the Oscars ahead of the performance of the song on stage, had to pause at various points during her presentation as loud cheers echoed in the vast auditorium.

Singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava brought the Dolby Theatre to life with dancers of all ethnicities acing the hook step of the international music sensation.

As the song finished, the audience stood up to honour the performers with a standing ovation.

(With inputs from PTI)