SMASH hit RRR has come away with Oscar gold as it nabs the award for best original song for Naatu Naatu. The song captivated the audience at the Dolby Theatre when it was performed earlier in the show.
"I grew up listening to The Carpenters and now here I am with the Oscars," composer M.M. Keeravaani said as he and co-songwriter Chandrabose accepted the award.
“There was only one wish on my mind…RRR has to win, right off of every Indian and must be put me on the top of the world,” he sang to cheery applause.
It also won for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes.
Naatu Naatu is the first song ever from an Indian movie to win Best Original Song at the Oscars. However, the duo are the second and third Indian songwriters to win the award: the legendary A.R. Rahman won the original song Oscar for Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire, although that movie is considered a British production.
Naatu Naatu beat out David Byrne/Son Lux/Mitski’s This is a Life from Everything Everywhere All at Once, Rihanna’s Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the Lady Gaga and BloodPop song Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick, the 14th Oscar nomination of songwriter Diane Warren, Applause from Tell It Like a Woman.
RRR from director SS. Rajamouli has grossed US$160 million worldwide, becoming the third highest grossing Indian film and second highest grossing Telugu film worldwide.– The Vibes, March 13, 2023
