Naatu Naatu' and other hits that transcend language

Be it in Telugu, Korean or Spanish, some viral dance hits have won a global fanbase with their catchy tunes and nifty steps reenacted on YouTube and TikTok. The Telugu hit "Naatu Naatu" has become a global sensation. Recently, it won "Best Original Song" at the Golden Globes , India's first-ever victory at the awards. It beat entries by established heavyweights like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Rihanna and is now shortlisted for the Oscars. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan tweeted that he "woke up and started dancing to Naatu Naatu" to celebrate this victory, while renowned Indian music composer AR Rahman — who won an Oscar for his hit "Jai Ho" from the 2008 film "Slumdog Millionaire"— described the win a "paradigm shift" in a post on Instagram. The fast-paced 4.5-minute song, which features in the 2022 Telugu-language film "RRR," had already become a viral hit in India when the blockbuster film was released last year — not least because it featured nifty choreography that inspired viral trends on social media within India and globally. Its recent win has seen TikTokers from France to Japan reenacting the song's energetic moves on the social media platform. There's even a witty mash-up on YouTube of an old clip of comedians Laurel & Hardy dancing now to this song. The song's international popularity also underscores the fact that language is no barrier to enjoying music across borders. Alongside "Naatu Naatu," here's a look at some international hits that have had the world tapping to their rhythms — without really comprehending their lyrics.

In Telugu — a language predominantly spoken in the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana — "Naatu Naatu" simply means "Dance Dance." The film "RRR," which stands for Rise, Roar, Revolt, was written and directed by SS Rajamouli and tells the story of two revolutionaries who fight against British rule in India. The fast-paced "Naatu Naatu" happens during a garden party scene where the two protagonists Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem (played by actors Ram Charan and NT Rama Rao Jr respectively) dance arm-in-arm, thumbing their noses at British officials who'd humiliated them. What is noteworthy is that the song was shot in August 2021 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's official residence, Mariinsky Palace, serving as its backdrop. In an interview with fellow Indian filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga that was broadcast by the Indian media, Rajamouli said, "luckily, they gave us permission to shoot because the Ukrainian president was a television actor." The film features several other scenes that were also shot at various locations in Kyiv, prior to the war. ( Source DW)