RRR's Naatu Naatu, which won Oscar Best Original Song, has a connection with Ukraine. It was, in fact, shot right outside Mariinsky Palace, the official residence of Ukraine's President.
RRR's epic song, Naatu Naatu, was shot in 2021, just months before Russia attacked Ukraine. In an interview, actor Ram Charan said the song was for 15 days at the presidential palace.
In an interview with filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga, RRR director SS Rajamouli said he shot the Naatu Naatu song in Ukraine and he got permission to shoot as the Ukrainian President Zelensky was a television actor.
Rajamouli said it was a real location. 'Actually, it is the Ukrainian President's palace. There is a parliament right beside the palace. Luckily, they gave us permission to shoot because the president was a television actor.'
Actor Ram Charan recently said he wanted to visit Ukraine. In an interview with Will Reeve for ABC channel, he said: 'Ukraine is beautiful. I wanted to visit Ukraine as a tourist after the filming of our film.'
During the year-long war, Russia has rained a barrage of missiles on Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, causing widespread damage to hundreds of buildings. But the Mariinsky Palace, where the Naatu Naatu song was shot, remains unscathed.
In October last year, Ukrainian media reported that Zelensky’s office was destroyed by a missile strike. But news agency AP said damage was recorded at a park and other locations, but the president’s office, about a mile away, was not hit.
US President Joe Biden recently visited Mariinsky Palace to meet Ukraine President Zelensky. Biden reportedly took a motorcade through streets that had been cleared of local traffic to the palace, where he was greeted by Zelensky.
Naatu Naatu's Oscar win belongs to every Indian, Ram Charan said in a tweet. "This award belongs to every Indian actor, technician, and filmgoer. This is our country's win!'
After Naatu Naatu bagged Oscar, Jr NTR said this was just the beginning of Indian cinema's glorious journey in the global arena. 'This is not just a win for 'RRR' but for India as a country. I believe this is just the beginning.'