New Delhi: ‘RRR’ star Ram Charan says he wants to perform on the Academy Award-winning track ‘Naatu Naatu’ at the 95th edition of the Oscars. During Sunday’s ceremony in Los Angeles, dancers belonging to different castes performed to the foot-tapping number, sung live on the Dolby Theater stage by singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaal Bhairav. Charan said that the dance troupe was “fabulous” with their performance.
“I was 100 percent ready to get that call, but I really don’t know what happened. But let’s not talk about it because the crew that did it there, they were fantastic and they did a better job than us, said the 37-year-old actor.
Charan, who had landed in the national capital earlier in the day, was speaking at the India Today Conclave 2023. Perform for India. I think it is not our song anymore, it is India’s song. It is the people who have taken us to the carpet,” he said on the programme.
Originally picturized on Charan and Jr NTR in the period action film directed by SS Rajamouli, ‘Naatu Naatu’ created history after winning the Best Original Song Oscar. Composer MM Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose received the trophy.
Charan said that the film’s Oscar win is “another feather on the cap” as he believes that the audience’s love is the biggest reward. “I was lucky to be in the midst of that celebration. An event like this, we are witnessing it. I was a fan of the academy since childhood.
He said, “But nothing more than the audience and the theatre, is my biggest prize. What India has given us is my biggest prize and everything else was just another feather in the cap.”
The actor said the victory of “Naatu Naatu” is a recognition for the collective Indian film industry. “It’s such an honour… What this acceptance has done for us, not us, but for India, it’s for the technicians and directors, from Satyajit Ray to Rajamouli, we’ve all been recognised.
“It is a unique acknowledgment that our industry has received and it was definitely a responsibility for us to represent and be a part of it. It was heavy on my shoulders but I was just enjoying the moment. was more important.” Prize.”
Charan believes that the Academy and its voters have appreciated good cinema and “the excellence of director Rajamouli and his great team of MM Keeravani and Chandrabose”.
‘RRR’ or ‘Rise Roar Revolt’ is a pre-independence fictional story following two real-life Indian revolutionaries Alluri Sitarama Raju (Charan) and Komaram Bheem (Jr NTR) in the 1920s.
Charan and Jr NTR were friends before working on “RRR” and it needed someone like Rajamouli to bring them together on the big screen.
“If not for Rajamouli, I swear I don’t think we would have had this combination for any other director. Whatever we have earned and made our careers… They used to say that we have been there for 35 years. There were rival families but we never had it in person…
He added, “And to bring the two of us together, someone to trust, it has to be Rajamouli and he knows it. It will only happen because of him.”
Charan, who earlier starred in Rajamouli’s 2009 Telugu hit “Magadheera”, said he enjoys working with filmmakers who are quite taskmasters.
“I like somebody who gets me on my own feet… It keeps me up and going. Every time you think, ‘Wow, I’ve learned so much and I know it all,’ hai’, you work with Rajamouli and he will tell you it’s just.” beginning.
“It’s like going back to school. I always learn something new, he always gives career best hits with every actor, be it Prabhas, Jr NTR or me.”
Asked about the films in the south where his big moment is now coming, the actor said it all started with Rajamouli’s two-part “Baahubali” series.
Also, Charan believes that stories related to Indian culture will always make an impact in the western markets.
“We have so many industries, from Bengal to Tamil Nadu in the south, we have brilliant directors. I think what will make an impact in the West or Japan or Australia are our earthy stories that should come out. ‘Magadheera’ is like Tha ‘Lagaan’ was like that.
“India has a lot of all this, and the West and global audiences are ready to accept someone who is original and there are many original directors in India, many states which have their own beauty, music and story. I think That this will transcend,” he said.
Charan said, the Indian film industry is a single entity and “there is no Telugu, Bengali or Bollywood, Hindi cinema”. “This is Indian cinema… I want the global audience to feel that we are all one cinema,” he added.
Charan was also asked about the rumors that he might soon make his Hollywood debut. “I don’t know. I’ll leave it to Los Angeles I said. We’re looking at something, working on something. It’s too early for me to say… who doesn’t. Everybody wants to and we all I want to work in every industry where talent is appreciated and that’s why I want to work (there).”
Apart from the Telugu song, Netflix’s Tamil documentary ‘The Elephant Whispers’, directed by debutant Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga, became the first Indian production to win in the Documentary Short Film category.