All eyes in India will be on the Oscars ceremony, where Naatu Naatu will compete for Best Original Song.
Naatu Naatu, a song from the Telugu blockbuster RRR (Rise Roar Revolt), is the first Indian film song to be nominated for an Oscar.
Its singers are also scheduled to perform at the Academy Awards, which will be broadcast in India on Monday morning.
After the film’s release in the United States last year, the song became a global sensation, inspiring endless Instagram reels and social media dance trends. Its quick tempo and synchronised choreography were an instant hit with audiences.
Naatu Naatu, composed by MM Keeravani and written by Chandrabose, made history in January when it won the Golden Globe for best original song, defeating competitors such as Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga. The song also won the Critics’ Choice award for best song the same month.
Its composers are now hoping to repeat their Oscar success.
“It’s not just the music or the dance – the entire story of RRR can be summarized within these 10 minutes of Naatu Naatu,” SS Rajamouli, the film’s director, told Vanity Fair.
RRR is a historical fantasy starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR that tells the fictional story of two revolutionaries fighting against British rule in India.
Rajamouli describes Naatu Naatu as a “fight scene” in which two freedom fighters use dance to bring a British officer to his knees.
“The song is a story within the larger story of the film,” said the director.
Back in 2020, when RRR was still in the works, Rajamouli told Keeravani that he needed a song to showcase his heroes’ dancing abilities.