The 95th Academy Awards have been historical for the Indian film industry as two productions from our country managed to win an Oscar each.
The chartbuster song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the Telugu movie ‘RRR’ was given the trophy for ‘Best Original Song’.
We’re blessed that #RRRMovie is the first feature film to bring INDIA's first ever #Oscar in the Best Song Category with #NaatuNaatu! 💪🏻
No words can describe this surreal moment. 🙏🏻
Dedicating this to all our amazing fans across the world. THANK YOU!! ❤️❤️❤️
JAI HIND!🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/9g5izBCUks
— RRR Movie (@RRRMovie) March 13, 2023
And to receive this award, the composer of the song M. M. Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose went up on the stage.
While on the stage, M. M. Keeravani shared how he grew up listening to the American band ‘The Carpenters.’ He said in his emotional speech:
“I grew up listening to ‘The Carpenters’. And now, here I am, with the Oscars.”
The music composer went on to sing his own rendition of a song by ‘The Carpenters’, the lyrics of which he had self-written based on his Oscar-winning moment.
“There was only one wish on my mind. So was Rajamouli’s (S.S Rajamouli) and my family’s. ‘RRR’ has to win, pride of every Indian, and must put me on the top of the world.”
Watch the video here:
"Naatu Naatu" from #RRR wins Best Original Song at the #Oscars. https://t.co/ndiKiHfmID pic.twitter.com/d7ZSoRps2d
— Variety (@Variety) March 13, 2023
For the unaware, ‘The Carpenters’ band constituted of American vocal and instrumental duo siblings Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter. Some of their hit songs include ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’, ‘Yesterday Once More’, ‘Close to You’, and ‘I Need To Be In Love’, among others.
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However, some media outlets, specifically Malayalam media, mistook his ‘The Carpenters’ reference for ‘carpentry’. They legit thought the music composer grew up listening to carpenters doing their job.
Taking to Twitter, a journalist from Kerala, S.R.Praveen, shared screengrabs of multiple articles, the headlines of which misinterpreted Keeravani listening to the band with the people who do the woodwork.
#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 (ആശാരിമാർ) pic.twitter.com/GZZRg9GatF
— S.R.Praveen (@myopiclenses) March 13, 2023
One news channel came up with its own bulletin talking about Keeravani being inspired by the skilled workers.
Asianet went further with #Keeravani ‘s caroenters story, with a description on how he grew up listening to “മരത്തിൽ പണി എടുക്കുന്നവരുടെ തട്ടും മുട്ടും” pic.twitter.com/nem3YJfwFg
— S.R.Praveen (@myopiclenses) March 13, 2023
Well, people online facepalmed on the media’s lack of research and common sense. This is how they reacted:
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
"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 അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) March 13, 2023
Hahahahahaha I knew for a fact that this would happen! Insane
— Vivek (@ivivek_nambiar) March 13, 2023
Journalism at its best!
— Eshani Mathur (@eshanimathur5) March 14, 2023
don’t wanna laugh at someone’s mistake, but this is so hilarious
— Jasmin Jose (@jaz_joze) March 13, 2023
Hahaha Thank God he didn’t say red hot chilli peppers or limp Bizkit.
— Subhash Rout (@subby78) March 13, 2023
Hahaha… people working in the media e like I’m on the top of the world looking down on creation and the only explanation I can find
— Komal (@diggingdeeply_) 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
Give the reporter an award 😂
— S (@weeyess_me) March 13, 2023
He didn’t say The Beatles
— Ashok P (@ashok20) March 13, 2023
100% literacy
— Sudhir Srinath (@SudhirSrinath) March 13, 2023
there isn’t any sound more melodious than khachh-pachh of saw moving through freshly cutted wood – MM Keeravani
— केले राहुल 🍌🍌 (@kele_rahul) March 13, 2023
Knowledge level of media
— True Citizen (@TrueCit82770024) March 13, 2023
Blame Google translator 😂
— Bijo Francis (@bijotf) March 13, 2023
The least they could have done is Googled ‘The Carpenters’. It could have saved them the embarrassment.