Hollywood Critics Association Award: SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’ wins Best International Film; director says ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’ – Times of India

SS Rajamouli’s film’RRR‘ has truly been unstoppable this awards season. With all bets on the film winning an Oscar Award next month, the film on Saturday kept up the winning streak at the Hollywood Critics Association Award.
After winning the Critics’ Choice and Golden Globes, ‘RRR’ brought home top honours at the Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards, including Best Foreign Film, Best Original Song and Best Stunts.

And the HCA Award for Best International Film goes to… RRR#RRR #RRRMovie #RamCharan #SSRajamouli #NTRamaRaoJr… https://t.co/06xSjTj4iT

— Hollywood Critics Association (@HCAcritics) 1677296774000

Film’s director SS Rajamouli had the audience hooting and cheering away as he went up on stage to receive the awards. “I think I need to go backstage and check…I think I’ll be starting growing wings already…with the second one! Thank you so much it means a lot! I can’t express in words how much it means…” Rajamouli said ecstatically as he accepted the awards on behalf of his team.
Giving due credit to the people working behind the scenes, the director added, “This is the ‘Best Action Film’ (award), we won the ‘Best Stunts’ (award), but probably the ‘Best Stunt’ (award) was for the best stunt choreographer…and…I really would have loved to have the stunt choreographers here to see this because I think that is the team that works so hard and puts their life on the line to entertain us. I think I’ll take this opportunity to ask all the major awards to make a special category for the stunt guys….stunt choreographers, they really, really deserve that! This is for all the stunt choreographers, not only in my country but across the world who really work hard to entertain us all.”

Here’s @ssrajamouli’s acceptance speech of #HCAcritics award for Best Stunts. Congratulations to our entire team… https://t.co/g8ItsFQwoz

— RRR Movie (@RRRMovie) 1677294541000

He concluded, “And lastly, to my country, a land of wonderful stories, mera Bharat mahan! Jai Hind!”

‘RRR’ lead actor Ram Charan was also present at the Awards ceremony. Besides presenting an award, he was also called up on-stage by his director to accept the Best International Film award. “Thank you all so much for giving us all this love. It is a great responsibility. We are going to come back with better films and entertain you all,” he said and won cheers from the audience.

And the HCA Award for Best International Film goes to…RRR#RRR #RRRMovie #RamCharan #SSRajamouli #NTRamaRaoJr… https://t.co/3GVjHrK0wV

— Hollywood Critics Association (@HCAcritics) 1677298714000

Rajamouli, on the other hand, dedicated the win to all his fellow Indian filmmakers. Accepting the award, he said, “The best International film…again to all my fellow filmmakers in India, it is for all of us to believe we can truly make International films! Thank you HCA for that…it means a lot. Thank you very much…a lot. Jai Hind!”

Team ‘RRR’ is currently in Los Angeles and will be attending the Oscars on March 12. ‘RRR’ song ‘Naatu Naatu has been nominated for the Oscars in the ‘Best Original Song’ category.

In January this year, ‘Naatu Naatu’ won the Golden Globes in the ‘Best Original Song’ category. ‘Naatu Naatu’ was nominated alongside Taylor Swift’s ‘Carolina’ from ‘Where The Crawdads Sing’, ‘Ciao Papa’ from ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’, Lady Gaga’s ‘Hold My Hand’ from ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and Rihanna’s ‘Lift Me Up’ from ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’.

5 days later, ‘RRR’ bagged two more awards at the 28th edition of the Critics Choice Awards.

‘RRR’ starring Jr NTR and Ram Charan bagged the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Song for its track ‘Naatu Naatu’. It also picked up the ‘Critics’ choice award for ‘Best Foreign language film’ in a ceremony held in Los Angeles.

RRR is a fictional story based on the lives of two Telugu freedom fighters, Alluri Seetharama Raju and Komaram Bheem. Ram Charan and Jr NTR played lead roles, respectively. The film collected over Rs 1,200 crore worldwide. Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn and Shriya Saran also starred in the film.

This lyrical composition of ‘Naatu Naatu’ by MM Keeravani, high energy rendition by singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, unique choreography by Prem Rakshith, and lyrics by Chandrabose are all the elements that make this ‘RRR’ mass anthem a perfect dance craze.