But despite the intoxicating chorus and propulsive beat of “Naatu Naatu”, the biggest force behind the song’s success is a dance – a heel-thrust, suspender-bending, dust-kicking sequence that culminates in the action epic “RRR”. Happens with the tune.
The five-minute scene helped translate the three-hour-long film from South India to international audiences, becoming one of the film world’s most spectacular moments of the year. “RRR”, directed and co-written by SS Rajamouli, grossed nearly $160 million in movie theaters worldwide. But many viewers unfamiliar with the release from India (the Telugu-language filmmaking hub known as Tollywood) discovered the film on Netflix. There, the “Naatu Naatu” dance took on a life of its own on TikTok and other social-media networks.
Set in the 1920s, “RRR” (short for “Rise Roar Revolt”) tells the highly stylized and fictionalized story of two Indian freedom fighters, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. Played by film stars Ram Charan and NT Rama Rao, Jr. respectively, these characters develop a fierce friendship as they clash with the British colonial rulers.
After several over-the-top action sequences, “Naatu Naatu” is the first big musical number in the film and plays a pivotal role, showing the growing bond between the two protagonists. A presentation will be made at the Oscar ceremony, where composer MM Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose have been nominated for Best Original Song.
If they win (as they did at the Golden Globe Awards), it will be a bizarre victory for Mr. Rajamouli, director and choreographer Prem Rakshit, who conceived the mirror dance moves featured in the scene. Below, they break down the key elements that helped “Natu Natu” become a worldwide hit.
when the dance runs the plot
Bangla songs and dance numbers are routine in Indian cinema, but Mr. Rajamouli wanted an interlude that would take the story forward.
Raju, an officer in the British police force, has befriended Bhima. But Raju is unaware that his new friend is actually the tribal rebel he is trying to hunt down. They attend a posh party where Bhima hopes to woo a young aristocratic lady (played by Olivia Morris). Some hostile Englishmen, including the ringleader Jake (Eduard Buhac), try to break them out.
Raju returns to Bhima’s side, and the two men refer to the party-goers as “naatu”, a Telugu word denoting ethnic identity. In translation, the song’s lyrics describe a wild dance that “dances” a green pepper, a sharp dagger, and a bull. Field dust.” The actual choreography is more technical.
Mr. Rajamouli envisioned movements in which Bheem and Raju would move like mirror images of each other. “The synchronization of their dance steps makes the audience feel that there is a lot of understanding between them,” said Mr. Rajamouli.
To bring that idea to fruition, he trusted Mr. Rakshit, who has choreographed for dozens of films and worked with Mr. Rajamouli for the last 15 years. “I was asked to do things that I didn’t know how to do. I know the body language of both the actors, but when you sync them up, their styles look different,” said the choreographer. Whose major dance influences are Michael Jackson and Indian choreographer and filmmaker Prabhu Deva.
Along with the director, Mr. Rakshit tested nearly 100 different movements, including a signature hook-step motion, before narrowing down to a handful that best matched the physicality of the two stars.
costumes as dance props
Like human windup toys, Bheem and Raju include their suspenders in the dance. Mr. Rakshit said it’s natural for him to incorporate actors’ costumes and props into his routine: “If there’s a coat, I’ll play with the coat. If I have a gun in my hand, I will play with a gun. I did the same thing with suspenders.”
But the whimsical set piece demanded precision. After each full day of shooting the “Naatu Naatu” sequence, the dancers would rehearse the next day’s steps for about three hours per night.
“The suspenders step took the most time to get it all right… and it was worth it,” Mr. Rajamouli said.
Ukrainian connection
Although “RRR” is set in and around colonial Delhi, the “Naatu Naatu” number was primarily shot in Ukraine – against the backdrop of the Mariinsky Palace in Kiev. Shooting took place in 2021 as a solution to Covid restrictions, which had disrupted production elsewhere. Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the exterior of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s residence stood in for a party setting, with several Ukrainian actors and dancers joining the cast.
Despite the upscale location, the scene called for a down-home addition: a coating of dirt and dust that rises in clouds as the dancers kick up their feet. It is a common element in films that aim to evoke rural Indian tradition, Mr. Rakshit said: “When you do folk songs, the dust is always there.”
try it at home
The scene turns into a dance-off contest, with all the party-goers joining in on the action. The hook-step move they all do was designed to work in mass synchronization.
“Heroes must have additional styles, but both the hero and [background] The dancers have to give equal energy – not too much, not too little. They have to strike a balance,” Mr Rakshit said.
The director added that he also intended the hook step as a move that viewers would want to try out for themselves, which has happened on TikTok and elsewhere. “Everyone should feel that they can do this with a few tests,” Mr. Rajamouli said.
a foreboding dance-off
Bhima and Raju defeat the British in a dance-off (and bring applause to the British). Even as victory helps seal their brotherhood, the dance also hints at tensions to come.
“Competition is over, but friends want to compete with each other,” said Mr. Rajamouli. “The expression on his face is one of my best moments.”
Write to John Jurgensen at John.Jurgensen@wsj.com