M. M. Keeravani

Koduri Marakathamani Keeravaani, better known as M. M. Keeravani, is an Indian film music composer and playback singer, who works in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi cinema. He is also known by his aliases Marakathamani, and M. M. Kreem. He has recorded most of his songs with singers S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra. In 1997, he was awarded the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for the Telugu movie Annamayya. He has won 8 Filmfare Awards, eleven state Nandi Awards and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award.

Personal life

Keeravani was born into a Telugu family in Kovvur, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh to Koduri Siva Shakti Dutta. He has a brother who is also a music director and singer, Kalyani Malik. He is the cousin of director S. S. Rajamouli and music director, singer M. M. Srilekha. He is the nephew of Telugu and Bollywood film screenwriter and director K. V. Vijayendra Prasad. His wife M. M. Srivalli works as a line producer in films. His son, Kaala Bhairava, is a singer and has sung for his father's numerous compositions ("Dandalayya" song). For some time, Keeravani lived in the Raichur District of Karnataka before making a decision to move to Madras (now Chennai).

Career

Keeravani first began his career as an assistant music director with the noted composer K. Chakravarthy 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. It was director Mouli's 1990 film Manasu Mamatha that brought him to the limelight and was considered his first released movie.

However, it was Ram Gopal Varma's blockbuster film Kshana Kshanam (1991) that made Keeravani an established music director. All the songs of this movie went on to become top chartbusters and Keeravani was flooded with offers from all across south Indian film industries. His first major Hindi film was Criminal.

He is known for his playback singing contributions to the Telugu film industry with compilations for hit films such as Annamayya. He has composed music for Hindi films such as Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin (1996), Sur – The Melody of Life, Zakhm, Saaya, Jism, Criminal, Rog and Paheli. In Malayalam, he has scored for films such as Neelagiri (1991), Soorya Manasam (1992) and Devaraagam (1996). He has composed for over 220 films in various Indian languages. M. Keeravani composed the music and background for the films Baahubali 1 and 2– Times Of India

Discography

Awards

National Film Award:

• 1997 – National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Annamayya

Filmfare Awards:

• 1991 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Telugu) for Kshana Kshanam
• 1993 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Telugu) for Allari Priyudu
• 1994 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Telugu) for Criminal
• 1995 – Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Telugu) for Subha Sankalpam
• 1996 – Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Telugu) for Pelli Sandadi
• 2009 – Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Telugu) for Magadheera
• 2017 – Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Telugu) for Baahubali: The Conclusion
• 2017 – Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist - Telugu - Baahubali: The Conclusion

Nandi Awards:

• 2015 - Nandi Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Baahubali: The Beginning
• 2015 - Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Baahubali: The Beginning
• 2012 – Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Eega
• 2010 – Nandi Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Maryada Ramanna
• 2009 – Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Vengamamba
• 2005 – Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Chhatrapati
• 2002 – Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Okato Number Kurradu
• 2001 – Nandi Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Student No.1
• 1995 – Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Pelli Sandadi
• 1993 – Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Allari Priyudu
• 1992 – Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Rajeswari Kalyanam

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards:

• 1991 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director for Azhagan

Santosham Film Awards

• 2003 – Santosham Best Music Director Award for Gangotri

Lyrics

This is a listing of the songs and tracks M.M.Keeravani has contributed as a lyricist to various feature films.