A short documentary, “The Elephant Whisperers”, produced in India and a song, ‘Naatu Naatu’ from film ‘RRR’ made history winning Oscars last Sunday evening. The first Oscar was for best documentary film and the second was for original song at 2023 Oscars. Both are firsts for India, Bollywood and Tollywood.
M.M. Keeravaani, music composer and Chandrabose, lyrics composer, accepted the award for Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards. It is from a Tollywood movie— Chennai made. It is a heel-tapping song with a fantastic dance. The song dance was staged at the Oscar’s.
It is a Telugu-language dance number from director S.S. Rajamouli’s crossover action hit. It is the first song from an Indian film to be nominated and win in its category.
The only other time an Indian won Oscar was in 2009. Indian composer A.R. Rahman’s “Jai Ho” won the original song Oscar for Danny Boyle’s U.K. production “Slumdog Millionaire.” The song category of Oscar’s nearly 90 years in existence have been English-language songs from Hollywood films.
“Naatu Naatu” beat out songs from four English-language films to score the trophy including song ‘Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” sung by pop icon Rihanna; “This Is a Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” performed by Mitski; “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman,” penned by Diane Warren and sung by Sofia Carson; and Lady Gaga’s soaring “Top Gun: Maverick” ballad, “Hold My Hand.”
“Naatu Naatu” was a grueling dance song that impressed the packed hall at Oscar’s.