Producer Reveals Why Ram Charan & Jr NTR Didn't Perform Naatu Naatu at Oscars

RRR's 'Naatu Naatu' won an Oscar in the 'Best Original Song' category.

Jr NTR and Ram Charan in a still from 'Naatu Naatu'.

(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)

RRR's song 'Naatu Naatu' has left critics and audiences enthralled in the West. The song was performed live at the Oscars on 13 March. The performance also went on to receive a standing ovation. However, producer Raj Kapoor revealed that Ram Charan and Jr NTR were originally supposed to perform the song instead of the professional dancers that took over the stage alongside the singers Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj. 

In an interview with The Academy, Raj said,

"Originally, the two leads were going to be the stars of the number alongside the singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava. The show was very instrumental in helping secure working visas for their team to be able to come to the US to be a part of the performance...Once we had the musical edit approved by MM Keeravaani, we did late night Zoom calls with the choreography team in India and Los Angeles. We shared casting choices, costume design ideas, and stage renderings with the team from India."

Raj Kapoor, Producer

He added, "In late February, we were informed that Ram Charan and NT Rama Rao Jr would be attending the Oscars, but they did not feel comfortable performing the live number on stage. The change was brought on because of their other professional commitments and the limited amount of time to rehearse."

Deepika Padukone, one of the presenters this year, welcomed the 'Naatu Naatu' singers and dancers on stage and her speech was met with a rousing response.

SS Rajamouli's RRR, starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR in lead roles won an Oscar for the song 'Naatu Naatu' in the Best Music (Original Song) category.