THE VOICES ‘NAATU NAATU’

A Few Hard Working Men

SS Rajamouli’s RRR has become a global phenomenon, especially when the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ was recognised at the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.

The song was performed by Kaala Bhairava (the son of composer MM Keeravani) and Rahul Sipligunj. Their vocals elevated the song to a whole new level by precisely matching the characteristics of Rama Raju and Komaram Bheem, performed by Ram Charan and Junior NTR, respectively. Keeravani is a deeply spiritual individual. His guru advised him to live like a sanyasi for a year and a half in order to avoid premature death; however, his wife was expecting at the time. He lived as a recluse and only ate vegetarian food, but his greatest sacrifice was being separated from his wife. During that time, the couple had a kid, and Keeravani only got to meet him months later. Keeravani called his son Kaala Bhairava after this.

Kaala Bhairava, who is overjoyed with the Oscar nomination, recalls the moment he found out he had won the

Golden Globe. “When we got to know that Naatu has won the Best Original Song, we were jubilant, overjoyed, overwhelmed and so excited (can’t stop adding adjectives!). I wasn’t there at the actual event. I was in fact watching the event live with my family and with my brothers and cousins in the US, at home. We were watching it like it was an ongoing India in the World Cup cricket match and there was just a last ball left for India to win, and that was how our emotions were at that time. After I got to know about our win, I shared the news with the family, those who are from the music department, and the team who created Naatu Naatu,” he said.

CHANDRABOSE, THE LYRICIST OF THE SONG NAATU NAATU, WAS PLEASED WHEN THE SONG GOT NOMINATED, WHICH HE CHARACTERISES AS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. HE ATTRIBUTES THE SONG’S SUCCESS TO RAJAMOULI’S VISION. HE CREDITS RAJAMOULI’S VISION AND CHARM FOR ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF THE SONG.

Making ‘Naatu Naatu’ was itself an interesting journey because, right from the composition to the final master of the song, which was released worldwide, the entire process took almost two and a half years, he added.

Kaala Bhairava feels that any artist’s purpose should be to be recognised for his or her original work. “The best thing that we can do to ourselves and our art, is to try to be as original as possible and stick to our uniqueness and originality, because there is no point in trying to mimic something or trying to imitate something in order to be successful or in order to sell our work. I feel that you being you, and you being recognized as yourself is the best thing ever, and you can’t compare that feeling with anything at all.”

Bhairava has performed in Telugu films such as Baahubali, Dear Comrade (2019), and Jersey (2019). Kala Bhairava also contributes musical arrangements for his father. Rahul Sipligunj, co-singer of ‘Naatu Naatu,’ is overjoyed after the song won the Golden Globe for best original song. Sipligunj began as an independent singer before being discovered by Keeravani, and he has since gone on to sing for films like Dammu, Eega, and Maryada Ramanna. He has appeared in almost 50 films as a singer.

His other major hits are ‘Bombhaat’, ‘Pedda Puli’, ‘Chal Mohan Ranga’, and ‘Ranga Ranga Rangasthalana’ among many others. The young singer has singing credits in over 50 films. He was also the title winner of the third season of popular TV show Bigg Boss (Telugu) in 2019.