Where were the South Asian dancers at last week’s Academy Awards? natu natuThis is the crux of the ongoing criticism of the viral hit dance sequences of international cinema hits.? RRR as executed At night.
Naatu Naatu made history at the Oscars as the first song in an Indian film and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
With music by composer MM Keeravani and lyrics by Chandrabose, the triumphant Telugu song was followed by an enthusiastic performance that included the film’s “hook dance” step re-tuned for the Dolby Theater stage.
But as many outlets were quick to point out, something was missing that night — ever since.
Dancers perform “RRR”‘s “Naatu Naatu” on stage during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, CA on March 12, 2023. (Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
Art school students put the finishing touches on a painting of Indian actors NT Rama Rao Jr. (L) and Ram Charan in the Indian film RRR, March 13, 2023. (INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)
number of works variety, LA Times, indie wireIt comes from a film about Indian history by an Indian filmmaker, lamenting the lack of South Asian dancers seen despite being so informed by Indian musical styles. Masu. AV Club detail:
[…] Oscar version of the dance was It’s technically more diverse than a movie where the characters of NTR Jr. and Charan dance crap among sullen British white dudes. Featuring more South Asian performers on such a large stage.
“Sincerely, where is your deputy?” asked choreographer Joya Kaji in an instagram post Ahead of the performance (but not casting news).
Dancer Achinta S. McDaniel said variety“Some people say, ‘Be happy with what you get,’ but that’s [the problem] — this idea of accepting scraps thrown at you.I am just happy that an Indian song was nominated [and won]Please don’t get mad about the overwhelming racism that showed up in the performance. ”
(LR) Chandrabose and MM Keeravani win Best Original Song for “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR” on stage at the 95th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, CA. Awarded. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Some critics also natu natu performance and performance Jai Ho from slumdog millionaire At the 2009 Oscars, “Indian singer and it was a multi-ethnic group of dancers and musicians”.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has not responded to the criticism.
