The Telugu lyricist, who clinched the Oscar for 'Naatu Naatu' song in Rajamouli's 'RRR', has so far penned over 3,600 songs.
Lyricist Chandrabose with the Oscar. (lyricistbose/Twitter)
India recently bagged two Oscars at the 95th Academy Awards — Best Original Song for “Naatu Naatu” from SS Rajamouli’s RRR (2022) and Best Documentary Short award for The Elephant Whisperers (2022) by Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Mongawon.
After this grand achievement, the Academy has invited 398 distinguished artists and executives, including eight from the Indian film industry to join the organisation in 2023.
The elite list of eight members from India includes Ram Charan and NT Rama Rao Jr from the actors’ branch, Mani Ratnam from directors, Karan Johar and Siddharth Roy Kapur from producers, KK Senthil Kumar from cinematographers and finally, composer MM Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose from music.
In an exclusive interview with South First, Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Chandrabose shares his excitement over being invited as a member of the prestigious Oscars’ Academy.
“For me, being invited to join the prestigious Academy as a member is more than winning the Oscar itself. I consider it as a privilege and another feather in my cap, especially after having been recently recognised with the Oscars for my work in RRR for penning the ‘Naatu Naatu‘ song,” Chandrabose says with a hint of excitement.
The lyricist is glad and feels that he is lucky and privileged to have been invited to look at others’ work.
More than anything, he shared that he feels proud to be an Indian and to have been recognised for his work.
We’re proud to announce our newly invited members to the Academy!
Meet the Class of 2023: https://t.co/xElbKejirD pic.twitter.com/9IqEmbU6GD
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) June 28, 2023
Lyricist Chandrabose with Golden Globe Award (lyricistbose/Twitter)
Kanukuntla Subhash Chandrabose aka Chandrabose, the lyricist from the Telugu film industry, has so far penned more than 3,600 songs since he started his journey in the year 1995.
Srikanth and Monica Bedi’s Taj Mahal marked his debut as a lyricist in Tollywood.
“Following the Oscars, I have been getting a lot of offers, but my perception towards lyric writing has not changed. However, the expectation amongst the audience and the industry people has naturally changed or gone a notch higher,” Chandrabose remarks.
As to how winning an Oscar has changed his approach to his work, Chandrabose explains that he has set a benchmark for himself and he works accordingly.
“I approach every song with the same mentality. I set a benchmark, like an Oscar word inside my mind, and I try to achieve my own expectations to give my best. That’s how I have been, and I shall remain to be,” says the popular lyricist.
“Though I have an Oscar in physical form, I strive every day to reach the pinnacle which I have set for myself in my heart and my mind,” he adds.
Chandrabose with MM Keeravani at the Oscars. (lyricistbose/Twitter)
Asked if he is being approached by other film industries post his Oscar success, Chandrabose says that he has worked hard so far to attain some level of mastery in his own language which is Telugu, and he is limiting himself to pen songs in Telugu.
However, with more pan-India projects thriving in the Indian film industry, he has certainly become the number-one pick for filmmakers from other languages for their films to be dubbed into Telugu.
“One can only do justice to his/her work if they have mastery in it. I have to some extent achieved it to date, and filmmakers from Tamil, Hindi and other film industries are approaching me for Telugu lyrics,” Chandrabose observes.
“Recently, I penned the songs for the dubbed version (Telugu) of the Hindi film Brahmastra (2022). My choice of words and nuisances to reach Telugu audiences made the songs as popular as the original ones. The album became a hit in Telugu, too,” he signs off.
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