Oscars? More like the Naatu Naatu takeover! The 95th Academy Awards in 2023 witnessed a moment that no one, yes, not even the Hollywood biggies, saw coming. Naatu Naatu, the infectious dance anthem from S.S. RajamouliĄ¯s blockbuster RRR, waltzed its way past industry heavyweights and made history as the first song from an Indian production to bag the Oscar for Best Original Song. And letĄ¯s be real, no one was prepared for the cultural reset that followed!
While we gear up for the 97th Academy Awards, letĄ¯s take a moment to revisit the sheer madness, the electrifying stage, and the unbeatable energy that made Naatu Naatu the ultimate Oscar banger.
The underdog that outdanced the big guns
Competing against the likes of Top Gun: Maverick, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Tell It Like a Woman, Naatu Naatu had some serious contenders. But what made it unbeatable? Its raw, unfiltered, desi energy. Composer M.M. Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose crafted a song that wasnĄ¯t just a beat, it was an emotion, a revolution, a swag statement that hit harder than any Hollywood-produced soundtrack.
At the ceremony, the song was performed live, complete with its viral high-energy choreography and iconic suspender-snapping moves. Hollywood elites couldnĄ¯t help but groove, and social media? Exploded.
Unlike its competitors, Naatu Naatu wasnĄ¯t just about fancy beats or star power, it was a cultural manifesto. As Keeravani once explained, the term Naatu stands for something deeply rooted in oneĄ¯s own identity, raw, ethnic, and unapologetically local. And thatĄ¯s precisely what this track embodied: the real sound of India.
Shot in front of UkraineĄ¯s Mariinsky Palace (pre-invasion), the song became a massive pop culture moment. From dance reels to wedding performances, Naatu Naatu fever spread faster than a trending TikTok challenge!
India has bagged ten Oscars in total, but Naatu Naatu set a new precedent, it proved that Indian cinema can make global audiences feel the music, not just hear it. The historic win has already influenced future Indian entries at the Academy Awards, setting expectations sky-high for upcoming years.
As we count down to the 97th Oscars, one thingĄ¯s for sure, Naatu Naatu didnĄ¯t just win an award; it won an era!
Listen to Naatu Naatu (original) here: