In the past few weeks, director S.S. Rajamouli and the team of RRR gave several interviews to Hollywood reporters and appeared in talk shows and movie events in the United States. The lead actors, Jr N.T.R. and Ram Charan Teja, even embraced the American accent while aggressively promoting their movie which was a huge commercial success in multiple Indian languages last year. It is evident that Rajamouli has set his eyes on Oscar and other prestigious Hollywood awards and he is aggressively working towards maximising his chances of winning them in some category or the other.
According to media reports, the RRR machinery has set aside an enormous budget for lobbying in the US to give maximum exposure to their product. According to sources close to Rajamouli, the exercise had begun a few months ago and is expected to continue till the end of the calendar season of the awards in the US. It includes private screenings and publicity events.
Rajamouli’s campaign in the US got a shot in the arm when the popular song ’Naatu-Naatu’ from RRR became the first Indian song to have won the Golden Globe for 'best original song-motion picture'. Music composer M.M. Keeravani went on stage to receive the award while Rajamouli, Ram Charan and Jr N.T.R., along with their spouses, cheered on from the round table. In his speech, Keeravani said he was “overwhelmed” and dedicated the award to the team including Rajamouli.
Keeravani, who goes by the name MM Kreem in Hindi, is a respected figure in the Indian film industry and a permanent fixture in Rajamouli’s projects. He gave credit to the singers Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj, choreographer Prem Rakshit who made the actors sway to the hook step, and lyricist Chandrabose. The song was shot in Ukraine, a little before the Russian invasion began.
Soon after the announcement, congratulatory messages poured in, and social media exploded with posts related to the news. Among those who congratulated the RRR team for the achievement were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, musicians A.R. Rahman, Ilaiyaraja, actors Priyanka Chopra, Mahesh Babu and others.
The RRR team would be hoping that the same feat would repeat at the Oscars as ‘Naatu-Naatu’ has been shortlisted in the 'original song' category. The team is hoping that the buzz generated in the last few days along with the Golden Globe award might just help them lay their hands on the Oscar.
The body language and statements and preparation of Rajamouli, Jr N.T.R. or Ram Charan Teja are a give-away that they are also here to make inroads into Hollywood. During an interview, Ram Charan Teja was quoted as saying that he was Hollywood-ready and he wants their technicians to work with them. Rajamouli has always believed in the magic of expanding markets beyond linguistic boundaries. He could successfully demonstrate its power through Baahubali which was not only made as a pan-India movie but was also released in foreign languages. His latest US outing might also be an attempt to penetrate into newer terrains.
Back home in Hyderabad, where the Telugu film industry is based, there is a high-decibel celebration. The industry is inspired by the award and thrilled by the possibilities that it can open up. With the Golden Globe award, the focus of Telugu films have shifted from making pan-India movies to producing global cinema.
