M. M. Keeravani

Koduri Marakathamani Keeravani, born on July 4, 1961, in Kovvur, Andhra Pradesh, is a legendary Indian music composer and singer who achieved global recognition by winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Naatu Naatu” from S.S. Rajamouli’s “RRR” (2022). He became only the second Indian to win an Oscar for music after A.R. Rahman.

M.M. Keeravani is the cousin of director S.S. Rajamouli, and their collaboration has produced some of Indian cinema’s most iconic soundtracks. He composed the music for the entire “Baahubali” franchise - “Baahubali: The Beginning” (2015) and “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” (2017) - which featured grand orchestral scores that elevated the films to epic proportions.

In Tamil cinema, Keeravani has composed music for several notable films including “Veera” (1994), “Arunachalam” (1997) starring Rajinikanth, and “Sivaji” (2007). His work spans over 150 films across Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Kannada languages.

He has won numerous awards including the National Film Award for Best Music Direction, multiple Filmfare Awards, and the prestigious Padma Shri from the Government of India. His Oscar win for “Naatu Naatu,” which also won the Golden Globe Award, brought immense pride to Indian cinema. Known for his versatile compositions ranging from folk to classical, orchestral epics to catchy dance numbers, M.M. Keeravani is one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated composers.