How request for 'Naatu naatu' was once turned down

A couple of years ago, Bengaluru's Lahari Velu, director of Lahari Recording Company, had a bitter experience at a party in Goa. But on Monday morning, when the 'Naatu naatu' from 'RRR' made history for being the first Indian film song to win an Oscar, Lahari was a happy man when he thought of that incident.

"The song was first released in Hyderabad. Later on, I was at a party on the sidelines of a music festival in Goa with my friends and I asked the DJ to play 'Naatu naatu' as it had become a sensational hit. He told me that he will only play international music. Today, with the Oscars honour, I can proudly say that 'Naatu naatu' is an international song," he told DH.

Lahari Music and T series had bought the music of 'RRR' for a record Rs 25 crore, touted to be the costliest audio rights deal in the history of Indian cinema. The bidding for the right, which also involved big companies like Sony Music, went for more than 100 days. "It is the longest time we had to wait to sign a deal," Lahari had told DH in July, 2021.

"We dedicate this Oscar victory to music lovers, singers, and the film fraternity. We are thankful to the 'RRR' team for associating with Lahari," said Velu.

Triumph of 'desi' music

Meanwhile, responding to the song's Oscar glory, B Ajaneesh Loknath, who composed hit songs for Kannada blockbusters such as 'Kantara', 'Vikrant Rona' and 'Kirik Party' said, "It's fantastic to see a 'desi' song bagging the award. Generally, at the Oscars, songs with epic orchestra arrangements or composed in western classical style have impressed the jury," he told DH.

He further said, "But 'Naatu naatu' is made of rooted music and rooted lyrics. It is enhanced by folk instruments, like the tamte and that's a huge achievement."

Ajaneesh said composer M M Keeravani's win is a lesson to Indian film musicians. "Keeravani was on the verge of retiring when he had to work for the 'Baahubali' films. And then 'RRR' happened. His journey shows how one can succeed at any point of life if the passion and dedication for the art form is intact," he said.