S S Rajamouli’s RRR has undoubtedly made a roar on the global stage with its unapologetically harmonious marriage of powerhouse action sequences and fearless fantasy. The film chronicles the story of freedom fighters Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) on their journey to battle British colonizers in a pre-independent India. To kick things up a notch, the narrative of the two real-life revolutionaries is elevated with an epic fantasy twist. Despite making such a splash worldwide, the most surprising thing about the Indian epic is that it was only nominated for one Academy Award despite its audacious stunt choreography. The one nomination it did earn was Best Song for its hit track “Naatu Naatu,” which is now set to be performed at this year’s Oscars ceremony.
The song, which was composed by M. M. Keeravaani and written by Chandrabose, will be showcased by original singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The video for the vibrant track, which has become something of an anthem for the film, sees the two protagonists erupt into a series of electric dance steps that were curated by choreographer Prem Rakshith. Unsurprisingly, the spectacle has earned over 122 million views on YouTube alone.
“Naatu Naatu” will be competing against a reel of leading Hollywood soundtracks including “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick, “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All At Once and “Applause” from Tell It Like A Woman.
