AR Rahman reveals Naatu Naatu composer MM Keeravani wanted to quit music in 2015: ‘Irony of life is…'

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman is hopeful that SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus RRR will bag an Oscar for India in the Best Original Song category. In a latest interview, Rahman described composer MM Keeravani as ‘underrated’ and went on to reveal that he had wanted to quit composing music in films in 2015. Also read: MM Keeravani to receive Padma Shri, pays respects to parents and mentors

With RRR's track Naatu Naatu, Keeravani has a few major international awards to his credit. Apart from the Oscars 2023 nomination, his song recently won the Golden Globe as well as a Critics Choice award. In a new interview, AR Rahman spoke about the popularity of RRR song Naatu Naatu in the West and how Keeravani, who will be given the Padma Shri award this year, contemplated retirement in 2015.

“First of all, Keeravani is a great composer. He was underrated. And, the irony of what life is like… it’s such a great case study. I believe, I don’t know if it’s true, that he wanted to quit music and retire in 2015 and that’s exactly when his career started. We noticed for what he is. So anyone who thinks their life is over, maybe that is a point where you have to start to live your life. This is a great example. I keep telling my children, ‘That gentleman, who’s been working for 35 years, wanted to quit but then his career actually started at that point,” Rahman told News18.

The clip of AR Rahman's statement about Keeravani has been shared widely on social media. Several people praised him, and said this was the kind of inspiration and positivity we need. One user tweeted, “Don’t think to quit or life is over, you may have some good things waiting for you!" Another user wrote, “Just the inspiration we all need. He keeps giving us more reasons to love him (sic).”

Keeravani made his debut as a composer with 1990 Telugu film Kalki. However, the film never got released for reasons unknown. Same year, Mouli’s Manasu Mamtha came out and became Keeravani’s first released movie. It was with Ram Gopal Varma’s 1991 film Kshana Kshanam that made Keeravani became an established composer. Three years later, he forayed into Bollywood with Criminal (1994) directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The film featured Nagarjuna, Ramya Krishna and Manisha Koirala.