Naatu Naatu Dances It’s Way To A Win
RRR – S.S. Rajamouli’s magnum opus made history when one of its musical numbers – Naatu Naatu – became the first song from the Indian entertainment industry to be nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe Awards 2023, and win. By winning the globe, the M.M. Keeravani composition beat heavyweights like Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga for the award.
A Lively Hook Step
While Naatu Naatu’s catchy lyrics and music enthralled listeners, its lively hook step performed by duo Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr. has become a rage across India and globally.
The song was filmed in front of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky’s official residence in 2021. The Mariinsky Palace in Ukraine – a gorgeous sea-blue structure of baroque architecture – hosted the shoot for the award-winning song, months before the war began.
A Paradigm Shift Says, A. R. Rahman
RRR was also nominated for best Non-English Language Film, making it the first commercial Indian cinema to reach the world stage.
A flurry of congratulatory notes has poured in. Oscar-winning music composer A.R. Rahman called the original track a “paradigm shift”. Even Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the win a “prestigious honour has made every Indian very proud”
Congratulations Flood In
Playback singer Rahul Sipligunj, the voice of Naatu Naatu, was delighted by the win, saying. “For people who are coming to my house, I will treat them with Hyderabadi biryani. That’s how I want to start my celebration,” he said.
Composer M.M. Keeravani told Rediff. Com, “When I get calls and messages from home in India, saying I’ve made the country proud, I feel I’ve finally achieved something.”
This, despite creating unforgettable hits like Gali Mein Aaj Chaand Nikla (Zakhm), Aa Bhi Ja (Sur,) Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai and Chalo Tum Ko Lekar (Jism), and Dheere Jalna from Paheli.
“There are more than 1,200 messages on my phone and innumerable requests for interviews both here in the US and back home,” said the composer.
Indian Music Inspires The World
Winning a Golden Globe is a special moment for Indian cinema. Keeravani is simply following in the illustrious footsteps of musicians like Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Shivkumar Sharma, A.R. Rehman, and the legendary Lata Mangeshkar who successfully took Indian music to audiences outside India. Indian ragas have inspired an array of western music genres from the Beatles and Shakti to the rock band Kula Shaker. Indian classical music originated from sacred Vedic scriptures over 6,000 years ago, where chants evolved into a system of musical notes and rhythmic cycles.
The Indian entertainment industry is all agog with its latest win for a song with roots in an ancient musical tradition, but we don’t need a Golden Globe to tell us that. History is proof that songs like these will stand the test of time, especially in a country that produces thousands of tunes every year.
It’s been a great year for RRR on the world stage with best original song wins also at the Critics Choice Movie Awards, Music City Film Critics Association Awards, and the Discussing Film Critics Awards, with nominations at many others. Will the Oscars be next?