Watch: Composer MM Keeravani gets emotional accepting Golden Globe for Naatu Naatu, says 'I am very much overwhelmed'

As Naatu Naatu, the dance number from RRR, scripted history by winning a Golden Globe Award on Wednesday, the song’s composer MM Keeravani gave an emotional speech at the award show. The composer was visibly moved by the occasion as he got on to the stage to thank his collaborators in a long speech that was eventually cut short.

In the video of the acceptance speech shared by the official Twitter account of the awards, MM Keeravani walks up to the dais and says, “Thank you very much HFPA for this prestigious award. I am very much overwhelmed with this great moment. I am excited to share this with my wife, who is sitting right there. It’s been an age-old practice to say that this award actually belongs to someone else. I was planning not to say those words when I got an award like this. But sorry to say, I am going to repeat the tradition because I mean my words. This award belongs to – in order of priority my brother and director of the movie SS Rajamouli, for his vision. I thank him for his constant trust in my work and support. “

The veteran composer then individually thanks each person involved in the making of the song. “Mr Prem Rakshith, without him this wouldn’t have happened, and Kaala Bhairava who had given wonderful arrangements for the song, and Mr Chandrabose for his wonderful words as a lyricist, Mr Rahul Sipligunj along with Kaala Bhairava who rendered the song with high energy, and NT Rama Rao and Ram Charan, who danced with full stamina for the song. Thank you, all,” he adds.

The winner for Best Song - Motion Picture is @mmkeeravaani for their song "Naatu Naatu" featured in @RRRMovie! Congratulations! #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/ENCUQEtns3

— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 11, 2023

As he begins to say more, the orchestra music builds up. At most Western award shows, there is a time limit for acceptance speeches and people going overboard are often drowned out by loud music as a reminder. At this, Keeravani bows down and says thank you before exiting the stage.

RRR is a Telugu period action drama directed by SS Rajamouli. It stars Ram Charan and Jr NTR as fictionalized versions of two real-life Indian freedom fighters from the 1920s. The song Naatu Naatu comes at a juncture in the film where the two heroes perform in a dance off to beat the colonial British snobs putting them down. The energetic dance number has enjoyed great popularity in India and abroad since the film’s release last year.

MM Keeravani, also known as MM Kreem, is a veteran composer who has worked in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada films for over three decades. He has won awards for work in films like Annamayya, Magadheera, Baahubali, having also composed for Bollywood films like Jism, Paheli, Sur, and Zakhm.