Naatu Naatu wins Oscars: Why is this song so charming to the West

It is the taste of Indian culture and the aroma of Indian soil and food that emanates from the lyrics of the Naatu Naatu song, which celebrates the inclusive spirit of dance and bonhomie.

'Naatu Naatu,' the peppy, foot-tapping chartbuster from Rajamouli's Telugu period action movie "RRR" waltzed its way to history by becoming the first Indian track to win the Academy Awards in the Best Original Song category. "Naatu Naatu", "Naacho Naacho" in Hindi, is composed by M.M. Keeravaani and penned by Chandrabose.

This is the third major international recognition for the chartbuster "Naatu Naatu" after Golden Globe and Critics Choice awards.

"I grew up listening to The Carpenters and now here I am with the Oscars," said the Andhra Pradesh-born composer, known to Hindi music lovers as M.M. Keeravaani, as he etched his name into record books by bagging the first Academy Award for an Indian feature film production.

"It's just the beginning of everything. For the world, particularly the Western world, folks are more on India and Asian music. It's just long due. I feel very happy to open doors and the world to embrace my culture," Keeravani said backstage.

Amidst so much of accolades for the song, let us now look at how RRR captured the fancy of the West. Set in the 1920s, RRR, which stands for 'Rise! Roar! Revolt', is a pre-Independence fictional story, follows two real-life Indian revolutionaries - Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (Jr. NTR). The movie follows their journey as they lead a rebellion against British rule and fight for the rights of their people.

The film had grossed more than Rs 1,250 crore worldwide with its song Naatu Naatu going viral globally. The jaw-dropping choreography of Naatu Naatu song that features Charan and Jr. NTR is the first song from an Indian film to earn a nomination and win in the Best Original Song category.

Though Indian composer maverick A.R. Rahman had won an Oscar in the same category for "Jai Ho" song from the movie "Slumdog Millionaire", it was a British production from director Danny Boyle.

So, what makes 'Naatu Naatu' unique and why attracted so much popularity? It is the taste of Indian culture and the aroma of Indian soil and food that emanates from the lyrics of the Naatu Naatu song. The song, which celebrates the inclusive spirit of dance and bonhomie, has also delighted hundreds of millions of YouTube viewers and millions of movie-goers.

"Let us enjoy this beat, this 6/8 signature beat talking about all the things we enjoy, all the things we feel energetic and feel high about, all the things that belong to the motherland, and everything about us. So just look at us. It's kind of exhibiting and displaying and showcasing their inner energy, packed with lots of stamina," composer Keeravani said.

The song's lyrics also reflect a theme of friendship. "Any two people can dance to this song," he said, adding, "It gives you a feel of camaraderie and togetherness."

The hit song was shot in the lawns of the Presidential Palace of Zelensky in Ukraine. Rajamouli had recently revealed in an interview that choreographer Prem Rakshith came up with over "100 variations" of the hook step for the song.

Speaking to the international media, Prem Rakshith, who choreographed the song Naatu Naatu, said that the dancers rehearsed for Naatu Naatu for two months. "It took 20 days for the heroes [to learn] and shoot the number."

The song's win is a 'huge proud moment for India', he told PTI from Los Angeles. "We were all sitting together. We shouted like crazy and hugged each other," Rakshith said, describing the euphoric moment when the film's name was announced.

With inputs from PTI