'Naatu Natu' from SS Rajamouli's magnum opus RRR on Monday made history by becoming the first Indian film to win an Oscar for best original song. RRR is the first Indian film in over two decades to be nominated for the Academy Awards while 'Naatu Naatu' was the first Indian song to be nominated at the Oscars.
Composed by MM Keeravaani, the energetic anthem was also performed at the Academy Awards.
Keeravaani accepted the award in a musical fashion, describing the song as "the pride of India" and greeting Oscar audiences with a "namaste".
“There was only one wish on my mind. So was Rajamouli’s (RRR director) and my family’s. RRR has to win. And it must put me on the top of the World!”
The song was performed live on the Oscars stage by singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, accompanied by a dance troupe.
India bagged another Oscar this year-- Best Documentary Short for The Elephant Whisperers.
Oscars 2023: 'The Elephant Whisperers' from India wins Best Documentary Short
Along with RRR filmmakers, music maestro AR Rahman too was rooting for the song to win an Oscar. Talking to the news agency ANI last week, he said, “I want 'Naatu Naatu' to win awards, I want them to win the Grammy also because any award for any of us will lift India up and the concentration of our culture will become higher.”
“I thought it (India getting a nomination) would start ten years back. It’s 12 years late. This should happen every year from India because we are a country of 1.3 billion people and there are amazing geniuses in every aspect of filmmaking," AR Rahman said. "Most of the movies don’t enter the competition. At least they (makers of RRR) had the thing to put it out there. If nobody knows your movie, who is going to vote for it? I wish them the very best and I want them to win.”
Read more: Watch: When Anand Mahindra got 'Naatu Naatu' lessons from actor Ram Charan
As of 2022, apart from Mother India, only two Indian films have been nominated for the Oscars are Salaam Bombay! (1988) and Lagaan (2001). Both didn’t win the prestigious award. In 2008, AR Rahman scored two wins at the Oscars for his work on the Hollywood production Slumdog Millionaire, set in India, with an all-Indian cast however it was not India’s entry.
Read more: ‘Naatu Naatu’ performance by Korean ambassador and staff gets PM Modi's thumbs up
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