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‘Naatu Naatu:’ The Song that Beat Rihanna and Lady Gaga at the Oscars

Author Laila Abuelhawa
Chandrabose and M. M. Keeravani accept the Best Original Song award for 'Naatu Naatu' from "RRR" onstage during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California.

“Naatu Naatu” blew the competition out of the water once again. The song, which was featured in the movie RRR, was up against some big movies and performed by even bigger names at last night’s Oscars. During the 95th Oscars ceremony Sunday night (March 12), “Naatu Naatu” was nominated against Diane Warren’s “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman, “This Is A Life,” from Everything Everywhere All at Once, which was performed by David Byrne and Stephanie Hsu, Lady Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick — which she performed a stripped-down version, and Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which she also performed at the awards show.

The song made history last night, becoming the first song from an Indian film to win in the category. The last time a foreign language song won in the category, it was “Jai Ho” from 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire. M.M. Keeravaani did the music for “Naatu Naatu,” while Chandrabose did the lyrics. The pair took the stage together Sunday night to celebrate the historic win.

RRR is an Indian-Telugu action/drama film that follows two legendary revolutionaries in the 1920s. After a long journey, they return home to start fighting back against British colonialists. The film has been a global success and a major breakthrough for “Tollywood.” Tollywood refers to films made in Southern India. According to CinemaBlend, the “Tolly” in Tollywood is for Telugu, which is the language spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Tollywood films are not the same as Bollywood films. Earning ($30 million) worldwide on its first day, RRR recorded the highest opening day earning by an Indian film. To date, the film has grossed more than $150 million worldwide, setting several box office records for an Indian film.

Watch the music video for “Naatu Naatu” below:

2023 Oscars Winners List

The 95th Oscars takes place at 8 pm ET this Sunday, March 12 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood with host Jimmy Kimmel. This will be Kimmel’s third time hosting, having hosted the Oscars in both 2017 and 2018. Oscar-winners Jessica Chastain, Ariana DeBose, Troy Kotsur, Questlove and Riz Ahmed will also return to the Oscars stage as presenters.

They will be joined by the likes of presenters Halle Bailey, Antonio Banderas, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Blunt, Jennifer Connelly, Andrew Garfield, Hugh Grant, Danai Gurira, Salma Hayek Pinault, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan, Nicole Kidman, Jonathan Majors, Melissa McCarthy, Janelle Monáe, Florence Pugh, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Paul Dano, Cara Delevingne, Harrison Ford, Kate Hudson, Mindy Kaling, Eva Longoria, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Elizabeth Olsen, Pedro Pascal and John Travolta.

Performances will include Sofia Carson and Diane Warren with “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman. Rihanna will perform “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava will perform “Naatu Naatu” from RRR. David Byrne, Son Lux and Stephanie Hsu will perform “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once. Meanwhile, Lenny Kravitz will deliver the “In Memoriam” performance.

See the full list of winners, which we will be updating live during the awards show, below:

  • Actress In A Supporting Role

    Angela Bassett — Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

    Hong Chau — The Whale

    Kerry Condon — The Banshees of Inisherin

    Jamie Lee Curtis — Everything Everywhere All At Once — WINNER

    Stephanie Hsu — Everything Everywhere All At Once

  • Original Score

    All Quiet On The Western Front — WINNER

    Babylon

    The Banshees of Inisherin

    Everything Everywhere All At Once

    The Fablemans

  • Actor In A Supporting Role

    Brendan Gleeson — The Banshees of Inisherin

    Brian Tyree Henry — Causeway

    Judd Hirsh —The Fablemans

    Barry Keoghan — The Banshees of Inisherin

    Ke Huy Quan — Everything Everywhere All Once — WINNER

  • Original Song

    “Applause”

    “Hold My Hand”

    “Lift Me Up”

    “Naatu Naatu” — WINNER

    “This Is A Life”

  • Actor In A Leading Role

    Austin Butler — Elvis

    Colin Farrell — The Banshees of Inisherin

    Brendan Fraser — The Whale — WINNER

    Paul Mescal — Aftersun

    Bill Nighy — Living

  • Actress In A Leading Role

    Cate Blanchett — Tar

    Ana de Armas — Blonde

    Andrea Riseborough — To Leslie

    Michelle Williams — The Fablemans

    Michelle Yeoh — Everything Everywhere All At Once — WINNER

  • Original Screenplay

    The Banshees of Inisherin

    Everything Everywhere All At Once — WINNER

    The Fablemans

    Tar

    Triangle of Sadness

  • Adapted Screenplay

    All Quiet On The Western Front

    Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

    Living

    Top Gun: Maverick

    Women Talking — WINNER

  • Best Director

    The Banshees of Inisherin — Martin McDonagh

    Everything Everywhere All At Once — Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert — WINNER

    The Fablemans — Steven Spielberg

    Tar — Todd Field

    Triangle of Sadness — Ruben Ostlund

  • Best Picture

    https://twitter.com/TheAcademy/status/1635121943069466624?s=20

    All Quiet On The Western Front

    Avatar: The Way of Water

    The Banshees of Inisherin

    Elvis

    Everything Everywhere All At Once — WINNER

    The Fablemans

    Tar

    Top Gun: Maverick

    Triangle of Sadness

    Women Talking

Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.

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