‘RRR’ and Its Hit Song ‘Naatu Naatu’ Bags Oscar Nomination for Best Original Song

Following a slew of successes and global acclaim this awards season, Telugu movie RRR has snagged a nomination at the upcoming 95th Academy Awards, in the Best Original Song category for “Naatu Naatu.”

The composition by M.M. Keeravani, sung by Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava with lyrics by Chandrabose, appears on the Oscars list as a strong contender, given that “Naatu Naatu” already won Best Original Song at the Golden Globes earlier this year. While the Indian film industry — and the makers of the movie — make lament missing out on a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, they still earn the distinction of having an Indian song being nominated, one that comes after A.R. Rahman’s nomination and subsequent win for “Jai Ho” at the Academy Awards in 2009.

India still gets another major representative at the Oscars this year, though. Shounak Sen’s film All That Breathes — one that highlights New Delhi’s pollution levels and how it is affecting human and avian life — is nominated in the Best Documentary Feature Film category.

“Naatu Naatu,” for its part, is nominated alongside songs such as “Applause” by Diane Warren for Tell It Like a Woman, “Hold My Hand” by Lady Gaga and Bloodpop for Top Gun: Maverick, “Lift Me Up” by Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and Ryan Coogler for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and “This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once, by Son Lux, Mitski and David Byrne.

The Oscars takes place on March 12th in Hollywood, with RRR cast and crew expected to be in attendance alongside “Naatu Naatu” composer Keeravani. Prior to this, RRR won the Best Foreign Language Film and “Naatu Naatu” was awarded the Best Song trophy at the 28th Critics’ Choice Awards.