Ram Gopal Verma received his first Oscar after music composer MM Keeravani won one for Naatu Naatu.
After the song Naatu Naatu won an Oscar earlier this month, the movie RRR by SS Rajamouli made history. The song’s composer, MM Keeravani, received the Best Original Song award and gave Ram Gopal Verma credit for his achievement. Now the filmmaker responds to it.
Keeravani thought back to his early days in the business, when RGV had just released a hugely popular movie like Siva. The fact that the director took a chance on him at the time helped MM Keeravani become more well-known among those in the industry.
MM Keeravani was asked about his breakthrough with the director during a conversation with Galata Plus. He said, “Let me tell you something, Bharadwaj garu. Ram Gopal Verma was my first Oscar. Now I received the Academy Award in 2023, and it is my second Oscar. Let me tell you why. Because, like all the people I approach, around 51 people might have… some of them might have thrown my audio cassette into the trash can… never heard me… who cares? A stranger approaches you and asks you to listen to his tune… some of them might have like but they are not interested. But that was my merit.”
Ram Gopal Verma gave me a chance to work for his movie Kshana Kshanam, but he was the ‘Siva’ Ram Gopal Verma… Siva played an Oscar role for him because it was his first movie, being a mega-hit. And RGV played an Oscar role in my career. He was my Oscar. So, who is this Keeravani who is this person… you never heard of him. But Mr RGV is working with him now. That must be something. Book him, come on! Let’s have him four our project also. That’s how Ram Gopal Verma’s association helped me get more chances. That’s how he helped me a lot,” MM Keeravani added.
Ram Gopal Verma reacted to MM Keeravani’s praise for him and posted the video on his Twitter and added in the caption, “Hey @mmkeeravaani I am feeling dead because only dead people are praised like this (cry face emoticons).
The nation can be proud of MM Keeravani, and his supporters adore him for his modest demeanour.
