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‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘RRR’ shortlisted for Oscars 2023 in Original Song category

Composed by MM Keeravani, ‘Naatu Naatu’ became the first Indian song to be shortlisted for the Academy Awards.

Y Krishna Jyothi

Published Dec 22, 2022 | 2:06 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 22, 2022 | 8:10 PM

naatu naatu rrr shortlisted for oscars 2023

'Naatu Naatu' from 'RRR' is the first Indian song to be shortlisted for Oscars 2023. (RRRMovie/Twitter)

SS Rajamouli’s RRR has moved a few more inches closer to winning the Oscars 2023 Awards.

Naatu Naatu, the popular catchy number from the film, has been shortlisted in the Best Original Song category for the Academy Award.

It is the first Indian song to be shortlisted for the award. Featuring Jr NTR and Ram Charan Tej, the song was composed by music maestro MM Keeravani, and sung by Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj, and Kala Bhairava.

Meanwhile, three other Indian movies have also been shortlisted for the Academy Awards 2023: Chhello Show (The Last Film Show) in the International Feature Film category, All That Breathes in the Documentary Feature Film category and The Elephant Whisperers in the Documentary Short Film category.

First Indian song to be shortlisted

Naatu Naatu is among 15 songs shortlisted in the Best Original Song category. The other songs are:

  1. “Time” from Amsterdam
  2. “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” from Avatar: The Way of Water
  3. “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  4. “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once
  5. “Ciao Papa” from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
  6. “Til You’re Home” from A Man Called Otto
  7. “My Mind & Me” from Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me
  8. “Good Afternoon” from Spirited
  9. “Applause” from Tell It like a Woman
  10. “Stand Up” from Till
  11. “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick
  12. “Dust & Ash” from The Voice of Dust and Ash
  13. “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing
  14. “New Body Rhumba” from White Noise

“Fifteen songs will advance in the Original Song category for the 95th Academy Awards. Eighty-one songs were eligible in the category. Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees,” said the official website of the Academy Awards.

Soon after the news broke, the makers of RRR took to social media to share their joy and pride.

Similarly, Rajamouli’s RRR bagged two nominations in the London Critics’ Circle Awards: Foreign Language Film of the Year and Technical Achievement Award. It also secured two nominations in the Golden Globe Awards 2023: Best Picture (Non-English Language) and Original Song (Motion Picture).

Besides, the magnum opus won nominations in other international film festivals such as Critics Choice Awards (five nominations). It won the Hollywood Critics Association’s Spotlight Winner Award and Atlanta Film Critics Circle’s Best International Feature Award. Further, it secured three Philadephia Film Critics Circle awards in Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography and Best Score/soundtrack categories.

Also read: SS Rajamouli bags the Best Director award for RRR at New York Film Critics Circle

Three more Indian films shortlisted

On 21 December, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the shortlists in 10 categories: documentary feature film, documentary short film, international feature film, makeup and hairstyling, music (original score), music (original song), animated short film, live action short film, sound, and visual effects.

According to the Academy, Chhello Show will compete with 14 films, All That Breathes with 15 documentary feature films and The Elephant Whisperers with 15 shorts.

Also read: Why Chhello Show became India’s official entry for Oscars 2023

The shortlists have been determined by the members of that corresponding branch, except for the international feature film segment. Members from all branches have been invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting.

They must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category, the Academy said.

While the nominations will be announced on 24 January, the Oscars ceremony will be held on 12 March at Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood, Los Angeles.

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