‘Was ready to perform Naatu Naatu on Oscars stage’: Ram Charan

Actor Ram Charan, who headlined the Telugu blockbuster RRR along with Jr NTR, said in a recent interview that he was ready to perform ‘Naatu Naatu’ on stage at the 95th Academy Awards ceremony. “I truly don’t know what happened,” he said. The actor was attending the India Today Conclave held on March 17 and 18, after recently returning to New Delhi from Los Angeles.

“I was 100% ready to perform 'Naatu Naatu' on the stage at the Oscars. I think those who performed did a better job than us. It was time for us to relax and enjoy ourselves while someone else performed an Indian song. 'Naatu Naatu' is India's song,” said the actor.

In an earlier interview published by the A Frame, a digital magazine by the Academy, choreographer Raj Kapoor who produced the live performance of the song had said that the actors had turned down the invitation to perform on stage because they were not comfortable. He also said that the actors were busy with their shooting schedules, which did not give them much time to practise. 

For the live performance, the Oscars team had roped in one of the biggest dance agencies in Los Angeles. Prem Rakshith, the original choreographer of Naatu Naatu, provided them with video guidance. While the original number was shot for a period of 15 days in Ukraine, for the ‘Naatu Naatu’ live performance at the Oscars, the dancers practised for a total of 18 hours.

Meanwhile at the India Today conclave, Ram Charan opened up about his views on nepotism, his upcoming movies, and more. “I don't understand (the nepotism) debate,” he said, calling it “a herd mentality.” 

“If the son of an eminent journalist wants to become a journalist, it is only understandable. The inclination in children to follow their parents has always been there. I breathe and live cinema. I have been in a film school since I was born. I know the art. I wouldn't have sustained myself in this industry if I was not good at my job. (If your parent is already an established name), you only get a stepping stone to success. After that, you are on your own,” he said. Referring to KGF actor Yash — who had no apparent connections in the film industry before becoming a pan-Indian star — as an example, he added, “Talent speaks. It is the same for everyone.”

Ram Charan is currently working on a project helmed by Shankar. At the interview, he called his character in the film “path-breaking” and “rooted.”