This Article First Appeared In Indian Express On Jan 13, 2023
Amid the easy-to-predict pack of world-class musicians, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Lady Gaga, who made it to the nominations of this year’s Golden Globes for the Best Original Song, ‘Naatu naatu’, the rambunctious dance number from S S Rajamouli’s part-history, part-mythology action drama RRR, walked away with the shining trophy riding on popular opinion in the West.
As India celebrates its first win in the category, drawing the West closer to its cinema amid loud cheers of history being made by a Telugu film, I wonder about the receptiveness of the world and that of the Globes and Oscars juries (since the song is in the Academy’s shortlist too) to this piece of music. A piece, that on any given day, wouldn’t have crossed their usual threshold. But it’s interesting how they find inherent and genuine import and importance in the composition, in the dance hook, in its blaring and slick arrangements.