For those of you who did not watch the Golden Globes, myself included, I am about to fill you in on a major milestone for Indian Cinema.
Reading that sentence back, you may be confused. What do the Golden Globes have to do with Indian Cinema? Complete transparency, I was a bit confused myself to see a song from “RRR,” a Telugu Indian movie, nominated for Best Original Song up against artists like Taylor Swift and Rihanna. Nevertheless, it made the little brown girl in me very happy.
“RRR” is the story of two revolutionaries and their fight against British Colonists in India in the 1920s. One song, “Naatu Naatu,” became particularly viral on social media, especially TikTok, due to its catchy nature and nifty dance steps. People reenacted the viral steps on TikTok leading to its strong global influence. People do not necessarily need to understand a language to love a song. The song’s win proves that music is universal.
Yes, you read that right. “NAATU NAATU” WON BEST ORIGINAL SONG!
When Jenna Ortega announced that “Naatu Naatu” won Best Original Song, it was a major collision between Indian and American Cinema. It quite literally made history. “RRR’s” win is a major milestone for Indian Cinema because it proves language is no barrier in enjoying music or cinema. It’s also a win for all the South Asian families who are watching their favorite Indian actors, directors, movies and music get the global recognition they deserve.
Back in the day, I remember being embarrassed when all my friends in the playground would talk about the newest Disney or Marvel movie. I never had anything to add, and truth be told, if I tried to explain a plot of a Bollywood movie to a bunch of elementary school kids, I think their brains would implode. My trips to the movie theater were mostly reserved for the newest Bollywood films. I had no complaints because they were and still are my favorite genre of film. It now embarrasses me that I was ever embarrassed to love Indian cinema. The plots, the music, the dancing, the costumes, the DRAMA — what’s not to love?
“RRR” winning means that mainstream Hollywood will be paying more attention to not just Hindi films, but films of all different languages from India. I think it’s safe to say we can expect more wins for Indian music and cinema in Hollywood. I’ll never forget the smile on my dad’s face, an avid cinema watcher, when he found out “RRR” won. For him, it was a reminder of the vibrant culture he grew up with. For all South Asian Americans, including myself, I felt proud and connected with my heritage. Navigating two identities is always challenging, but “RRR” winning helped bridge the gap between the Indian and American in me.
To those of you who have not gotten the chance to watch “RRR” or listen to “Naatu Naatu,” I strongly urge you to do so. Shameless plug — “RRR” is available for your viewing pleasure on Netflix. I promise you it is worth the watch. The “Naatu Naatu” music video on Youtube has accumulated over 145 million views. Not surprising considering how catchy it is. All I can say is settle in, grab some popcorn, good company and enjoy.