The Oscar nominations were released on January 24, which was the most anticipated event for RRR. The inclusion of RRR’s Naatu Naatu on the Best Original Song shortlist is cause for celebration for director SS Rajamouli, Ram Charan, Jr NTR, music director MM Keeravaani, and lyricist Chandrabose. Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava performed the highly dynamic and foot-tapping song, which has now become a global sensation. The song has been proclaimed a winner by the media worldwide, and an Oscar nomination will only add to its acclaim.
Naatu Naatu has already received numerous international honors and awards. At the 80th Golden Globes, the RRR song became the first Indian song to win Best Original Song. Naatu Naatu won the award at the Golden Globes, beating out Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift. RRR received the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Song for Naatu Naatu, as well as the International Press Academy’s Satellite Award for Best Original Song. Naatu Naatu also took up the award for Best Original Song at the US-Canadian Critics’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles.
The most emphatic success for RRR has been at the Golden Globes, and given that it has made the Oscar shortlist for Best Original Song, it is very likely to win the Oscar as well. The Golden Globes are regarded as the second most important honors after the Oscars, and any success here is suggestive of an Oscar triumph. Though there is a big difference, the Golden Globes have long been viewed as early indications of the Oscar favorites. The Golden Globes are awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press and have approximately 100 voters, whereas the Academy Awards have roughly 10,000 members worldwide that vote in each category. Given the significantly larger pool, there may be a significant vote divide.
The momentum for RRR and Naatu Naatu is now strong, and the Oscar nomination for Best Original Song will only fuel this. AR Rahman won Oscars in 2009 for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for Slumdog Millionaire, despite the fact that the film was shot in Mumbai. If Naatu Naatu wins Best Original Song at the Oscars, it will be the first time an Indian song has won in this category.