Polam - the first Telugu word spoken at the Oscars

Before the commencement of the 95th Oscar awards presentation ceremony on March 13, 2023, the contestants were taken for a walk backstage at the Dolby Theatre. There was a space set apart for everyone to pen their feelings. Music composer MM Keeravani wrote ‘Jai’ and lyricist Chandrabose added ‘Hind’ in Telugu! Truly proud Indians!

The Naatu Naatu song from RRR created history by becoming the first Indian production to win the prized golden statuette (‘Best Original Song’). Keeravani and Chandrabose received the award. We caught up with lyricist Chandrabose who recently returned to India.

Asked to describe the moment when he realized the song had won, he said succinctly, “Nirvikalpa Samadhi Sthithi - a meditative state of total absorption and bliss.”

The engineer-turned-lyricist, who has written more than 3,000 songs in his 27-year career,  elaborated, saying, “We were confident but at the same time nervous. When Naatu Naatu was announced, the entire team, including Rajamouli, Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Srivalli and Prem Rakshit, was euphoric. I was also speechless. As I walked up to the stage, I didn't know what’s happening around.”

Chandrabose sees the achievement as a result of his hard work over the years. While writing lyrics, he generally finds it difficult to sleep, as he’s thinking about the song. But on the eve of the Oscar awards, Chandrabose did sleep well. “I saw a trend – it seemed to me that as the song had won the Golden Globe Award and Critics Choice Award, it would win the Oscar too. But again, I was nervous, because anything can happen,” recalls the lyricist.

“To receive the award on a stage where several top personalities from around the world have stood is really a great feeling,” he asserts.

Chandrabose says for the first time at the Oscars, a Telugu word was spoken – Polam – the first word in the Naatu Naatu lyrics. “Polam mana jeevana vidhanam’ (farmland) he explains, adding, it stands for our way of life. And the lyricist ended his speech on stage with the word Namaste, a word inextricably associated with India.

As an Indian and a true-blue Telugu, Chandrabose takes a lot of pride in this. He believes in popularising Indian traditions and culture through his work. “It was indeed a great honour for Telugu poets as well,” the lyricist adds. “A desi song like Naatu Naatu winning global acclaim showcases the true power of art.”

Post the awards ceremony, scores of Telugu people came up to congratulate Chandrabose. Some of them offered him Aarti and Dishti (a ritual to remove the evil eye). “All this was happening at 4 a.m. in the US,” he smiles.

Asked how it feels to be an Oscar winner, he says that hasn’t gotten carried away with it. “When I am alone, I am normal. I get a high only when someone reminds me about the award,” he quips.

Chandrabose notes that the 15th Century Hindu saint Annamacharya composed more than 33,000 sankeerthans (hymns) in praise of Lord Venkateswara, without any expectations. But his work is lauded by the world. “The moral of the story is that if we sincerely and honestly put in our efforts results will definitely come,” he stresses.

On his return to India, Chandrabose met and thanked three persons – producer Suresh Babu, director Muppalaneni Shiva and composer MM SriLekha, who gave him the chance to work on his first film Taj Mahal (1995). And he wants to dedicate the award to his choreographer and director wife, Suchitra. “All my victories belong to my wife,” he says, describing her as a pillar of support

Winning the Oscar will certainly raise expectations of him, going forward. But Chandrabose denies being under pressure. “I am always answerable to my conscience. I have a clear and clean conscience,” he avers.