New Delhi, Mar 13 (PTI) The triumph of the globally popular Telugu song “Naatu Naatu” from SS Rajamouli’s “RRR” at the Academy Awards is a “proud moment for India”, says Prem Rakshith, the choreographer behind the newly-minted Best Original Song winner.
“Naatu Naatu”, composed by MM Keeravaani and penned by Chandrabose, now has the distinction as the first Indian song to win an Oscar.
AR Rahman and Gulzar’s “Jai Ho!” had previously won an Oscar in the same category but it was for “Slumdog Millionaire”, the 2008 British production.
From being nervous, emotional to screaming out of joy, the cast and crew of the pan-India blockbuster went through a roller-coaster of emotions as the nominees were introduced at Los Angeles’ jam-packed Dolby Theatre that served as the venue for the ceremony.
In an exclusive interview with PTI, Rakshith said he is at a loss for words in this moment of elation, a feeling he shares with the entire country.
“I am very, very happy. I am blank right now, I don’t know how to react. This is the first time we got this (Oscar award), no words to describe (my feelings). This is a very proud moment for India,” the choreographer told PTI over phone from Los Angeles.
While the force was strong with “Naatu Naatu” — sung by Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava — at the global stage, Rakshith said for a split second there was a doubt that the song might lose out to Hollywood music icons Rihanna and Lady Gaga’s equally celebrated tracks.
Other nominees in the Original Song category were: Sofia Carson’s “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman”, Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick”, Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, and “This Is a Life” by Mitski and Byrne from “Everything Everywhere All at Once”.
“When the nomination was announced, it seemed my heartbeat stopped. I was worried because Rihanna, Lady Gaga’s songs were also there in the nominations. We were tense,” the “Naatu Naatu” choreographer recalled.
And when the song — picturised on Ram Charan and Jr NTR in “RRR” — was named the winner, the team erupted with joy, he said.
“My heartbeat went too high when ‘RRR’ song was announced as the winner. We were all sitting together, we shouted like crazy. We stood up and hugged each other,” he added.
Singers Sipligunj and Bhairava performed “Naatu Naatu” on the Oscars stage along with a group of dancers before the song charted history. The act, which was introduced by Hindi cinema star Deepika Padukone, also received a standing ovation.
Rakshith said he was stunned and emotional to witness people in a foreign country celebrate “Naatu Naatu”.
“When the ‘Naatu Naatu’ song was being performed on stage, I was proud and nervous. I was shocked to see the reaction at the Oscars. It was my first time seeing the dancers in the US dance to the song. The standing ovation made me teary eyed. I got emotional looking at the love the song got,” he added.
“Naatu Naatu” was shot in Ukraine against the backdrop of the Presidential Palace in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Earlier, Rakshith told PTI he had designed around 100 variations of the hook step and months of rehearsals to create the perfectly synthesised moves in the global hit “Naatu Naatu”.
“For the song, Rajamouli sir said Jr NTR is like a tiger and Charan sir is like a cheetah so capture that essence in the song and at the same time make sure that they both dance together as that is the most important part of the story,” he had told PTI. PTI KKP RDS BK RDS SHD SHD
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