Rrr at the golden globes

Rrr at the golden globes

There is greater confidence in the quality of films being produced, especially in the south, as seen in S S Rajamouli’s decision to lobby for RRR at the Oscars after it was snubbed for Chhello Show as India’s official entry. The Academy Awards in March would further shore up Indian cinema’s global aspirations.

Trumping favourites Rihanna and Taylor Swift, “Naatu naatu” by M M Keeravani and Chandrabose from the Telugu film RRR have won the Golden Globe award for “Best Song — Motion Picture”. As composer Keeravani picked up the trophy at the Tuesday night ceremony in California, there was a sense of triumph for Indian cinema in general, and south Indian cinema in particular. RRR has succeeded on a massive scale: Just consider, for example, the spontaneous “dance party” that erupted during a screening of the film at LA’s storied Chinese Theatre, when “Naatu naatu” came on, or the fact that tickets for the screening sold out within 98 seconds.

Several factors may have contributed to RRR’s worldwide success. First is the fact that in the Covid era, audiences remain reluctant to go to cinema halls unless it’s for an “event” or “tentpole” film. RRR, with its spectacular action sequences and set pieces, met those expectations. Second, the film brings together the vigour and technical virtuosity of world-class action cinema with a strong emotional core. Third is the political moment of a more honest reckoning with darker chapters of world history, including imperialism and the slave trade. A fourth possible factor is the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organises the awards, attempting to distance itself from scandals in its recent past, including charges of lack of diversity.

RRR’s win comes at a time when the popular understanding within the country of what constitutes “Indian” cinema has expanded, thanks to the success of other south Indian films such as KGF: Chapter 2 and Kantara. Whether the arrival of the so-called pan-Indian film has led to a deeper or enduring transformation isn’t clear, but there is a spreading aspiration to find a wider audience particularly on the back of streaming services. This is evident from the simultaneous multilingual release of several recent films, including the upcoming Pathaan. There is also a greater confidence in the quality of films being produced, especially in the south, as seen in S S Rajamouli’s decision to lobby for RRR at the Oscars after it was snubbed for Chhello Show as India’s official entry. Rajamouli himself has already won the New York Critics Circle award for Best Director this year — a win for RRR at the Academy Awards in March would further shore up Indian cinema’s global aspirations.