MM Keeravani recalls when RD Burman got credit for his composition: ‘Ram Gopal Varma told me that Pancham da will get the credit’

MM Keeravani said that his composition for Ram Gopal Varma's film was credited to RD Burman but he willingly agreed to let go of the credit.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | Updated: June 25, 2024 05:56 PM IST

2 min read

RD Burman was credited for MM Keeravani's song in Antham. (Express archive photo)

Oscar winning music composer MM Keeravani, who is currently promoting the Ajay Devgn starrer Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, recently opened up about the time when a song composed by him was credited to RD Burman. The RRR composer shared that this happened when he was asked to compose a song for Ram Gopal Varma’s Antham. RGV told him beforehand that he would only get credit for the Telugu version, and the Hindi version would be credited to RD Burman aka Pancham Da as he was doing the rest of the album.

The song was titled “Dhadakti Mere Dil” and MM Keeravani shared with Radio Nasha, “Ram Gopal Varma contacted me for that special song and he said this will be bilingual, in Hindi and in Telugu. You will get due credit for the Telugu version but Hindi version, since Pancham da is doing, he will get the credit.” MM Keeravani was yet to establish himself at that time and saw this as an opportunity.

“I said ‘fine, if my song goes on his name, it’s more than an honour’. That’s how the song happened,” he recalled. The “Naatu Naatu” composer said that many years later, netizens learnt that he had composed the song. “Because of the internet, because of the knowledge, some people came to know in Telugu it was me. Naturally it will be me only in Hindi,” he said.

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He also recalled that Pancham da was “very impressed” with the song. “Ram Gopal Varma told me that Pancham da heard the song and got very impressed with it and he said that I will save this in my personal collection. I take this as the biggest compliment,” he shared.

Antham, released in 1992, starred Nagarjuna and Urmila Matondkar. The film’s album was credited to RD Burman with MM Keeravani composing one song in the album.

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