The song Naatu Naatu from SS Rajamouli's magnum opus RRR, composed by MM Keeravani, has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category, it was announced on Tuesday. In reaction to the Oscar nomination, Keeravani linked the song to his infant son, who has grown up and is now going places to make a good name for him.

Naatu Naatu has become an international phenomenon. In all the recent screenings of RRR in the west, the song got the audiences hooting and dancing. Over the months, several videos of western audiences seen dancing in the theatre to the song has surfaced on social media.

Talking about the Oscar nomination for Naatu Naatu to Deadline, Keeravani said, “It feels great. My feelings about the Oscars is the best, because it involves the dreams of artists from all over the world; which is not a joke. It takes a great deal of effort and credibility. That’s why the Oscars is the Oscars. That’s why we respect and value it very much. And I’m very proud to be nominated for the first time from [South] Asia in this music category. I’m thrilled.”

Keeravani described the song as his son when he had composed it and watched it for the first time on screen with choreography. “Yesterday, he was an infant in my cradle. And now my son is going places and bagging a good name for me. I’m like a proud father. I’m very grateful for this brainchild. And for all the people who made this big wave possible,” he said.

Released last March in cinemas, RRR is a fictional story set in the 1920s pre-independent era and is based on the lives of two real heroes and well-known revolutionaries – Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. While Ram Charan played Ram, Tarak was seen as Bheem.

The film grossed over 1000 crore during its theatrical run. Over the last few months, the west has celebrated the film in a big way since it dropped on Netflix and was re-released in select cities as part of the Beyond Fest.