India RRRoars At Oscars, Naatu Naatu Whirls World

HYDERABAD: The infectious energy of 'Naatu Naatu', the dance number from 'RRR' (Rise, Roar, Revolt), broke an impermeable glass ceiling late on Sunday night when it won the Oscar for best original song at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. With this 'RRR' became the first ever film produced and directed by Indians winning the golden statue in the 95-year-old history of the awards.
With 'Elephant Whisperers' winning the Best Documentary Short Subject, the spotlight remained on India through the ceremony.
Calling it a win for Indian cinema, Ram Charan Tej, who starred in the film, said on social media accounts: "We have won!! We have won as Indian Cinema!! We won as a country!! The Oscar Award is coming home!" Naatu Naatu, penned by Chandrabose and set in tune by M M Keeravani, is the first Asian song ever to win the 'Best Music Original Song' at the Oscars. Before Sunday, 'Naatu Naatu' had won a Golden Globes, Hollywood Critics' Choice Award and Critics' Choice Award.
The song won despite some tough competition in the category. Not only were Keeravani, Chandrabose & Co up against international pop stars, they were also challenging the might of biggest Hollywood production houses. Vying for the same award were, 'Applause' from 'Tell it like a woman' with music and lyric by Diane Warren, 'Hold my hand' from 'Top Gun Maverick' with music and lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop, 'Lift me up" from 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' with music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson and lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler and 'This is a life' from 'Everything Everywhere all at once'.
India's official entry for the Oscars was 'Chhello Show', a Gujarati film which did not make it to the nominations. An Oscar entry from the country is decided by a committee of the Film Federation of India (FFI). 'RRR' entered the Oscars' race as a direct entry. As the award was announced, director S S Rajamouli actors Jr NTR and Ram Charan Tej, Keeravani, singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, Rajamouli's wife and constumes designer Rama Rajamouli and Ram Charan Tej's wife Upasana, who were present in the audience, jumped up in joy. Even Lady Gaga was seen standing up and applauding the winners.
Keeravani in his speech, chose to sing a composition in English. "Thank you Academy," he said. "I grew up listening to The Carpenters and here I am at the Oscars." The song 'Top of the World' written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis in 1972 was his inspiration to come up with his own version for the Oscar occasion.
"There was only one wish on my mind. So was Rajamouli's and my family's. RRR has to win. Pride of every Indian. And must put me on top of the world. Thank you Kartikeya (Rajamouli's son) and various friends for making this possible," he said.
Lyricist Chandrabose kept holding the Oscar statuette aloft. Towards the end of Keeravani's speech, Chandrabose bent towards the microphone and said, "Namasthe', greeting the gathering. "We're blessed that RRR Movie is the first feature film to bring INDIA's first ever Oscar in the Best Song Category with Naatu Naatu! No words can describe this surreal moment. Dedicating this to all our amazing fans across the world. THANK YOU!!. JAI HIND," RRRMovie said in a tweet.
Actor Jr NTr said: "And we did it...". He congratulated music director M M Keeravani, director S S Rajamouli, lyricist Chandrabose and 'the entire team and the nation'.