Indians erupted in celebration on Monday after “Naatu Naatu,” the breakout hit from the motion movie “RRR,” won the Academy Award for best original song, making history as the primary movie from the country to win the distinction.
The song – a fast-paced number that has found fans all around the world, spawned a TikTok challenge and has hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube – won a standing ovation when it was performed on the ninety fifth Academy Awards on Sunday night.
Indians had won Oscars previously, but no Indian film had won an Academy Award before Sunday night in Los Angles. “RRR” and “The Elephant Whisperers,” which won best documentary short film, gave the country two Oscar-winning movies in a single night.
“No words can describe this surreal moment. Dedicating this to all our amazing fans the world over. THANK YOU!!,” the Twitter account for “RRR” posted.
Television showed images of individuals dancing to the song within the streets, minutes after the award was announced, whilst #NaatuNaatu was a top trend on Twitter.
“The recognition of ‘Naatu Naatu’ is global. It should be a song that can be remembered for years to return,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter, congratulating the team behind the song.
“Entire India is proud. They’ve brought India to the world stage,” singer Prudhvi Chandra, certainly one of the singers of “Naatu Naatu,” told the India Today news channel.
Within the film, made within the South Indian language of Telugu, and directed by S.S. Rajamouli, “Naatu Naatu” begins when the 2 leads, played by Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr., flaunts their dance skills after being bullied because the only Indian people invited to a British party in colonial times.
When a young British man goals racist insults on the leads, they resolve to coach him using the song “Naatu Naatu.”
Throughout the scene, which was filmed at Ukraine’s grand Mariinskyi Palace, everyone on the party, including the scoffing British man, tries to master the moves.
On the Oscars, composer M.M. Keeravani burst into song while accepting the award on stage, together with songwriter Chandrabose.
“I feel that is about just the start of all the pieces in order that the world ‑‑ particularly the Western World ‑‑ focuses more on Indian music and Asian music, which is long due,” Keeravani said backstage after winning the award.
“The Elephant Whisperers” is a couple of couple in South India who adopt a baby elephant and take care of him.
