RRR composer MM Keeravaani says RGV gave him his first Oscar, here’s how the director reacted

Ram Gopal Varma and MM Keeravaani worked together for Kshana Kshanam, their only collaboration in over 30 years

MM Keeravaani and RGV

MM Keeravaani is generally believed to be media shy, who keeps his thoughts to himself and entertains interview requests sparingly. However, the promotional campaign for RRR has taught the composer a thing or two about the necessity to be in the news. He spoke with noted journalist Baradwaj Rangan in his first interview in India after his Oscar win for Naatu Naatu.

While reminiscing about his early years, Keeravaani spoke of his association with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, with whom he worked on the Venkatesh, Sridevi starrer Kshana Kshanam. “I’ll tell you that it was RGV who gave me my first Oscar. The one that I won in the US is my second Oscar. There’s a reason I say that,” the composer said.

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“He could’ve easily thrown my cassette in the bin, heard it and need not have approached me. However, the director of Shiva gave MM Keeravaani a chance to work with him. RGV had just scored the first (Oscar equivalent) mega hit in his career and he could’ve picked anyone in the industry, but he chose me for Kshana Kshanam. Many in the industry later gave me opportunities trusting RGV’s belief in me,” he added.

“I got signed for so many projects in a single calendar year only because of RGV, he gave me my first Oscar,” Keeravaani stated. In response to the composer’s statement, RGV said, “Hey @mmkeeravaani I am feeling dead because only dead people are praised like this.” Kshana Kshanam had many iconic songs in the album - from Jaamu Rathiri to Jumbaare to Ammayi Muddu, Ko Ante Koti, to name a few.

Surprisingly, MM Keeravaani was among the contenders to work for RGV’s Shiva as well, though the opportunity didn’t materialise. In another interview as well, the composer remembered an advise that the filmmaker gave him. “He asked me to be selective with my work and associate with major banners only. I couldn’t follow the suggestion but my career may have been different I took his words into consideration.”

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