M. M. Keeravani

Keeravani was born in a Telugu family to lyricist and screenwriter Koduri Siva Shakthi Datta, in Kovvur of West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. He is the cousin of filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli and music composer M. M. Srilekha. His younger brothers are music composer Kalyani Malik and writer S. S. Kanchi. He is the nephew of screenwriter V. Vijayendra Prasad. His wife M. M. Srivalli works as a line producer in films. His elder son, Kaala Bhairava, is a singer and has sung for his father's numerous compositions ("Dandalayya" song and Naatu Naatu). His younger son, Sri Simha, made his debut with Mathu Vadalara (2019). ==Career==

Keeravani began his career as an assistant music director with Telugu composer K. Chakravarthy and Malayalam composer C. Rajamani in 1987. He assisted in movies such as Collectorgari Abbayi and Bharathamlo Arjunudu in the late 1980s. During this time, he also sought the guidance of the veteran lyricist Veturi for over a year. Keeravani's first big break as an independent musician came with the film Kalki in 1990, but the film never got released and the soundtrack also went unnoticed. Keeravani mentions Ilaiyaraaja, John Williams and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as composers who influenced him. Some of the films which inspired his music include Fiddler on the Roof (1971), Coming to America (1988), and Phone Booth (2002). ==Discography==

Keeravani won the Oscar for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for "Naatu Naatu" for the 2022 Indian film RRR. He received a National Film Award for Best Music Direction for the 1997 Telugu film Annamayya. He is also a recipient of eight Filmfare Awards, eleven Andhra Pradesh state Nandi Awards, and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award. He was also nominated for Saturn Award for Best Music for Baahubali: The Beginning (2015). ==See also==