NEW DELHI — Indians are celebrating after Telugu action film RRR created history by winning a Golden Globe — a first for the country.
The film's catchy musical number, Naatu Naatu, was awarded the best original song, beating heavyweights like Taylor Swift and Rihanna.
Accepting the award, composer MM Keeravani said he was thrilled by the track's global success.
Back home, several Indians expressed their joy at the news.
Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman called the film's win a "paradigm shift" as he congratulated the team on Twitter.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan wrote on Twitter that he "woke up and started dancing to Naatu Naatu" to celebrate the news.
Written and directed by SS Rajamouli, RRR, which stands for Rise, Roar, Revolt, is a historical fantasy that tells the rollicking story of two revolutionaries who fight against British rule in India - superstars Ram Charan and Jr. NTR play the lead roles.
One of India's most expensive films ever, the dazzling action epic has been a huge box-office success - not just domestically but also in countries such as the US. Hollywood actress Jessica Chastain tweeted last week that watching the film felt like "such a party".
A Hindi-language version of the film on Netflix was among the platform's Top 10 most watched titles in the US for weeks when it released in May 2022.
The film's music, ranging from romantic ballads to gleeful dance numbers and patriotic anthems, has also won over fans.
Naatu Naatu, a four-and-a-half-minute stomper of a song, features Charan and Jr NTR, and has had thousands grooving to its beat. Their energetic dance moves have also inspired viral trends on social media, not just in India, but also globally.
On Wednesday, fans could hardly contain their happiness on Twitter as they celebrated the award.
"This is history in making for Indian cinema at global platform," a user wrote.
TV and radio host Siddharth Kannan said the win was a special moment for India.
Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi Konidela, who is also Charan's father, called it a "phenomenal, historic win" - a sentiment echoed by several others in the film industry and beyond.
Pawan Khera, a politician from India's main opposition party Congress, congratulated the team and said it was a proud moment for the country. — BBC