Naatu Naatu, the Oscar-nominated song from RRR was performed on the Oscars stage ON Monday morning. American dancer Lauren Gottlieb joined the singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava to put up a scintillating performance on the song. And the energetic performance received a standing ovation from Hollywood’s elite at the Oscars.
On Sunday night (Monday morning India time), the 95th Academy Awards were presented at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Deepika Padukone first walked on to the stage to present Naatu Naatu, describing it as an ‘absolute banger’. Calling it ‘the first song from an Indian production to be nominated for an Oscar’, a beaming Deepika introduced the song and invited the performers on stage.
The energetic three-minute performance on the Oscar stage electrified the atmosphere at the awards and caused the audience members – some of the biggest names in world cinema – to get up from their seats and give it a standing ovation. The song has been nominated in the Best Original Song category.
RRR is a fictionalised account of the exploits of two real-life Indian revolutionaries from the 1920s. Naatu Naatu, picturised on the film’s two leads – Ram Charan and Jr NTR – is an energetic dance track that has become a viral global sensation since the film’s international release last year. Composed by MM Keeravani, the original Telugu version of the song has been sung by Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj. The song’s choreography, which has earned praise worldwide, has been done by Prem Rakshit. The song.
RRR, which released in theatres in April last year, is one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all-time, with a worldwide gross of Rs 1175 crore. It has also become a cult phenomenon in the West after its digital release on Netflix globally. Earlier in the awards season, the film bagged several major awards, including five trophies at the Hollywood Critics Association Awards and two at the Golden Globes. The film’s global success has also led to director SS Rajamouli and the two stars – Ram Charan and Jr NTR – become household names in the US.
