RISE, ROAR, REVEL!
Sushil Rao (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 12, 2023)

Hyderabad: Popular dance number ‘Naatu Naatu’ from Telugu film RRR, directed by SS Rajamouli of ‘Bahubali’ fame, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song beating songs by Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Lady Gaga among others. The song, starring actors Jr NTR and Ram Charan, was composed by M M Keeravaani and penned by lyricist Chandrabose.

Congratulations poured in for the team, including from A R Rahman, who had won a Golden Globe for Best Original Score for the 2009 film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Sushil Rao reports.
---------------------------------------------------------
Hyderabad: A grand idea meticulously developed as a huge spectacle on the screen earned the film “RRR” a big award in the global arena on Wednesday. Music director M M Keeravaani received the Best Original Song award for RRR film song “Naatu Naatu” at the 80th Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California. Keeravaani and lyricist Chandrabose were the winners of the award.

The film also got a nomination for the Best Non-English Language Film award but lost to the Argentinian film “Argentina, 1985”. This is the first time that a Telugu film has won recognition at the Golden Globes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the RRR team for the achievement. “A very special accomplishment! Compliments to M M Keeravaani, Prem Rakshith, Kaala Bhairava, Chandrabose and Rahul Sipligunj,” Modi tweeted. He also congratulated Rajamouli, actors Jr NTR and Ram Charan and the entire movie team. “The prestigious honour has made every Indian very proud,” he said.

Speaking at the ceremony, Keeravaani said the credit for the award rightfully belongs to Rajamouli. “I am very happy to share this excitement with my wife who is sitting right there,” Keeravaani said, pointing to M M Srivalli in the audience. “It has been an age old practice to say that this award actually belongs to someone else. I was planning not to say those words when I get an award like this. But I am going to repeat the tradition because I mean my words. This award belongs to, in order of priority, my brother and director of the movie Rajamouli for his vision,” Keeravaani said.

Rajamouli later tweeted: “SPEECHLESS. Music truly knows no boundaries. Congratulations and thank you PEDDANAA (elder brother Keeravaani) for giving me Naatu Naatu. This one is special. I thank each and every fan across the globe for shaking their leg and making it popular ever since the release. ”Warangal-born lyricist Chandrabose was ecstatic. Speaking to the media in Hyderabad, Chandrabose said, “I never imagined the song would get such a big award though I wished it did.”

The song was sung by Rahul Sipligunj of Hyderabad with Kaala Bhairava. Prem Rakshit is the choreographer. “I’ve danced to many songs throughout my career but Naatu Naatu will forever stay close to my heart,” Jr NTR said.

In typical Telangana language, Sipligunj put out a post saying “Kotteshnammmm kaaakaaaa (We’ve grabbed it!). What a moment!” “The world is Naatufieddd (sic),” Bhairava, who also sang the song, said in a social media post.

“RRR” is the highest grosser from India at worldwide box office from India and has won several awards in recent months.
---------------------------------------------------------
BOMBAY TIMES (January 12, 2023)

RRR has struck gold at the Golden Globes 2023, as its high-octane Naatu Naatu song was declared the Best Original Song. The S S Rajamouli directorial has created history by becoming the first from Asia to win this honour.

RRR was competing in two categories – Best Motion Picture – Non-English language and Best Original Song – Motion Picture – at the 80th Golden Globe Awards. While the Argentinian film Argentina 1985 won the former, Naatu Naatu did some heavy punching to shine in the Best Original Song category, which had some tough contenders, including compositions of international superstars such as Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

Ever since it released, Naatu Naatu (Naacho Naacho in Hindi) had gotten the whole country dancing to its high-spirited beats. The highlight of the song was the perfectly-synchronized dance moves by actors Jr NTR and Ram Charan.

Talking about the “blood and sweat” that went into getting the hook steps right, Jr NTR had said in an interview, “Rajamouli was very adamant that we were totally in sync. He used to record the whole thing, replay it, freeze every frame to observe how our legs, hands, feet were moving. If there was even the slightest difference, we would do a retake. He wanted us to be in perfect sync. It took some 18 retakes before we finally got it right.”

For Rajamouli, “...Their synchrony was important because it was a reflection of just how close they are; how they work as one, and is also a taste of what is to come in the movie; it makes their highly coordinated action scenes later seem a little more plausible,” he had said in an interview.

Rajamouli told Variety that the song “became a big phenomenon (on social media), and it clearly (increased) public interest in the film.”

The soundtrack was composed by M M Keeravaani, who also collected the award on Tuesday evening. The lyrics were by Chandrabose, the song was rendered by Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, and choreographed by Prem Rakshit.

WHAT WENT INTO MAKING THE SONG
- 20 days of shooting
- 30 days of rehearsals
- 2000 cast and crew
- 110 hook steps planned, only three approved
- 60 days to choreograph the steps
- 18 takes to perfect the hook step sync
- 111 million views on YouTube

RISE, ROAR, REVEL!