RRR lands two Golden Globe nominations; director SS Rajamouli expresses gratitude in heartfelt post

S.S. Rajamouli's epic period drama has earned a Golden Globes nomination for Best Picture, Non-English Language, category and it is up against serious competition: "All Quiet on the Western Front" (Germany), "Argentina, 1985" (Argentina), "Close" (Belgium) and "Decision to Leave", the South Korean romantic mystery that won for its celebrated helmer, Park Chan-wook, the Best Director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival. For "RRR", it is the penultimate shot at the Oscars, where it is being billed as a potential award-winner either for Rajamouli in the Best Director category, or for the movie in the Best Foreign Film section.

The chart-topping "RRR" song, 'Naatu Naatu' (picturised on Ram Charan and Jr NTR), is in contention for the trophy in the Best Original Song, Motion Picture, category as well, up against Taylor Swift's "Carolina" ("Where the Crawdads Sing"), "Ciao Papa' from "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio", "Hold My Hand" ("Top Gun: Maverick"; Lady Gaga, BloodPop), and Rihanna's haunting anthem for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" -- "Lift Me Up".

If "Naatu Naatu" gets the final nod, then the trophy will be lifted by music composer M.M. Keeravani as well as playback singers Kala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj.

Expressing his gratitude for the nominations, SS Rajamouli tweeted, "Thanks to the jury at @goldenglobes for nominating #RRRMovie in two categories. Congratulations to the entire team… Thanks to all the fans and audience for your unconditional love and support through out."

Keeravani won the award for the Best Original Score on Sunday at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, where Rajamouli was the runner-up for the Best Director prize. The creator of blockbusters, incidentally, was named Best Director at the New York Film Critics Circle awards. The honours are just piling up for "RRR".

'Variety', meanwhile, reports that "The Banshees of Inisherin", a darkly comic story of a shattered friendship set against the backdrop of the Irish civil war, led the nominations for the 2023 Golden Globes. It scored eight nods, including best picture in the musical or comedy genre, as well as for Martin McDonagh's directing and screenplay.

"Everything Everywhere All at Once", an innovative sci-fi fable that unfolds across a multiverse, according to 'Variety', followed close behind with six nominations. "The Fabelmans", Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical examination of his childhood; "Babylon", a Rabelaisian look at Hollywood's silent era; and "Elvis", a biopic of the rock legend, each had five nominations.

A few years ago, nominations for the Globes were seen as a key marker of awards season -- a sign of who was up and who was down in the hunt for Oscars and other trophies, notes 'Variety'. A steady stream of scandals and celebrity defections has muted that impact, so it's unclear how seriously Hollywood and its cottage industry of awards prognosticators and strategists will take Monday's announcement.

Unlike the Oscars, the Globes separate comedies and musicals from dramas, allowing the group to broaden its list of honorees. Dramas up for best picture include "The Fabelmans" and "Elvis" (not listed as a musical despite containing nearly two-hours worth of music), as well as "Tar", an indie about sexual harassment in classical music.

'Variety' adds there was also room for two blockbusters that theatre owners hope can rescue the embattled exhibition business -- "Top Gun: Maverick", the year's biggest hit, and "Avatar: The Way of Water", which opens on Friday, carrying with it enormous trade expectations.