M. M. Keeravani
M. M. Keeravani
Full name: Koduri Marakathamani Keeravaani
Born/Date of Birth: 4 July 1961
Place of Birth: Kovvur, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India
Origin: Andhra Pradesh, India
Genres: Film score, world music, Telugu Music
Occupation(s): Film score composer, Music Director, Singer,Lyricist
Children: Kaala Bhairava, Bhairava Keeravaani
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 in which the song "Tu Mile Dil Khile" went on to become chartbuster and is heard till date.
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
