MM Keeravani mentions pop duo The Carpenters in his Oscars speech, Kerala media mistakes it for professional carpenters

MM Keeravani and Chandrabose became the second Indian composer-lyricist duo to win the Oscar for Best Original Song for RRR song Naatu Naatu at the 95th Academy Awards after AR Rahman and Gulzar were awarded in the same category for Slumdog Millionaire song Jai Ho fourteen years back in 2009. However, Slumdog Millionaire was a British production, and hence, RRR's victory is more special as Naatu Naatu not just became the first Indian song to win the honour, but also the first Asian song to do so.

When the composer and lyricist went onto the stage to accept their award, MM Keeravani said that he grew up listening to the American pop duo The Carpenters, which consisted of the brother-sister siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter. He even sang Top of the World, one of the most famous songs from the duo, but changed its lyrics to describe his feelings, "There was only one wish on my mind, so was Rajamouli’s and my family’s. RRR has to win, pride of every Indian, and must put me on the top of the world."

However, a section of Kerala media literally translated his Oscar speech and mistook the American pop duo for the professional carpenters. This resulted in hilarious reactions on Twitter when a few Malayalam journalists pointed out the mistake. "Feeling relieved that Keeravani didn't say that he grew up listening to The Rolling Stones or The Sex Pistols", wrote one user while another added, "A state which boasts about 100% literacy, Kerala news channels are proof that literacy doesn't always mean intelligence. All the editors of these channels are literally ignorant".

#Keeravani in his Oscars speech had talked about growing up listening to the Carpenters, the band. Some Malayalam media houses took that literally and put out these headlines which say that he grew up listening to the songs of professional carpenters  pic.twitter.com/GZZRg9GatF

— S.R.Praveen (@myopiclenses) March 13, 2023

"I grew up listening to the Carpenters, the band." : What MM Keeravani said in his Oscars speech.

"MM Keeravani grew up listening to the songs of professional carpenters.": How Malayalam media reported it.

Malayalam media really outdid itself today. Sabhaash

— Advaid (@Advaidism) March 13, 2023

Many #Malayalam News channels attributed the success of @mmkeeravaani's music to songs sung by #Carpenters - the ones who do the woodwork. Not the original Brother-Sister Carpenter pop duo They literally translated his #Oscar acceptance speech. So much for  literacy. pic.twitter.com/hZ13lcgrAp

— Suresh Kochattil (@kochattil) March 13, 2023

Feeling relieved that Keeravani didn't say that he grew up listening to The Rolling Stones or The Sex Pistols.
This is yet another crow's feather in the cap of Malayalam journalism which has several such bloopers in it's kitty.

— copyleft (@Sheikh_Copyleft) March 13, 2023

They forgot to use an app called the brain. But then I remember a Mathrubhumi anchor interviewing Vivek Agnihotri on Kashmir Files and she hadn't even seen the movie.

— Biju (@Straightalkr) March 13, 2023

The global viral hit Naatu Naatu was even performed at the Oscars by its singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, and a group of American dancers. Deepika Padukone, who looked beautiful in the classic black gown, introduced the song, and the performance was met with a huge standing ovation from the Hollywood giants.

READ | Inside photos of Team RRR's Oscars 2023 after-party at SS Rajamouli's LA home with MM Keeravani, Ram Charan, others