From FYC Category To Winning Oscar: How Rajamouli & Co Scripted History At Oscars

SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus RRR’s Oscars journey is nothing short like a movie script. The film was not India’s official entry for the 95th Academy Awards. RRR might have had blockbuster success with a whopping Rs 902 crore gross in India and Rs. 1111 crore worldwide gross. But unfortunately, it was rejected to be India’s official entry.  Instead art-house Gujarati film ‘Chhello Show’ is sent as the country’s official entry to the Academy Awards.Yet Rajamouli and the RRR team didn’t give up. This is where the first step towards Oscars began. 

When asked about RRR not becoming India’s official entry to Oscars, SS Rajamouli told Hollywood Reporter, “Yeah, it is disappointing. But we are not the kind of people who would sit and brood about why it didn’t happen. What has happened has happened, and we should go forward with it.”

However, Rajamouli was happy for Chhello Show and said, “But I am happy because it (Chhello Show/ The Last Film Show) is also an Indian film and it has also been shortlisted for Oscars. I’m quite happy for it. Of course, everyone knew RRR had a much bigger chance. Here (in the US) everyone felt RRR had a bigger chance. But I don’t know how the committee (Film Federation of India), what are guidelines for the committee. I don’t know that and I can’t comment on that.”

Here is the timeline of events of RRR’s journey till Oscars. 

For your consideration (FYC) campaign is the first step where RRR was submitted for Oscars nomination in all 14 categories. 

Best Picture (DVV Danayya), Best Director (Rajamouli), Best Actor (Jr NTR and Ram Charan), Best Actress (Alia Bhatt), Best Supporting Actor (Ajay Devgn), Best Original Song (Naatu Naatu), Screenplay, Score, Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Production Design and VFX, among others.

The Oscars campaign started officially with the screening at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

Naatu Naatu wins historic Golden Globe for Best Original Song at 80th Golden Globes on 11th Jan, 2023.

RRR secured only one nomination though it was submitted for the nomination in 14 categories. 

On Jan 24, 2023, Naatu Naatu was nominated for Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards.

Aggressive marketing and promotion of RRR team by doing a series of interviews with international media and international journalists.

On Feb 25, 2023, RRR won 5 trophies at Hollywood Critics Awards (HCA). RRR won Best International Film and four other awards at the HCA. The movie received awards for Best Action Film, Best International Feature, Best Original Song, Best Stunts and honorary Spotlight Award.

Re-release of RRR in the USA by Variance Films in over 200 theatres starting March 3, 2023.

On March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, RRR scripted history as it won Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu at the 95th Academy Awards.