Los Angeles, Jan. 5 (IANS): The 'Variety' editor responsible for making the Hollywood bible's predictions for the Oscars and Emmys has a lot of good news for the makers of 'RRR'.
If Clayton Davis had the casting vote at the Academy, 'RRR' would be a close runner-up to 'Close', Lukas Ghont's 2022 Cannes Grand Prix-winning coming-of-age movie, in the Best Picture and the International Feature categories (though for the latter, it is not India's official entry).
And if Davis were the God of All Things at the Academy, music composer M.M. Keeravaani, along with playback singers Suddala Ashok Teja and Kala Bhairava, would come home with the Oscar for 'Komuram Bheemudo ', staving off a challenge from 'Naatu Naatu'.
The period drama's director, S.S. Rajamouli, is in the running for Best Director, but he gets an honourable mention, in a field topped by Todd Field, the helmer of the highly anticipated film, 'Tar'.
Also to land an honourable mention is 'RRR' star Jr NTR for Best Actor in a Leading Role, where the favourite is the 'Elvis' star, Austin Butler, followed by Brendan Fraser ('The Whale'). Jr NTR is in the honourable company of Will Smith ('Emancipation'), Hugh Jackman ('Son') and Bill Nighy ('Living'), who also have received honourable mentions.
Vijayendra Prasad, 'RRR' screenplay writer, is on another list of honourable mentions, for Original Screenplay; so is Sabu Cyril, for Production Design and A. Sreekar Prasad for Film Editing.
K.K. Senthil Kumar is among the five on Davis's shortlist for Best Cinematography in the formidable company of his compatriots behind the cameras of 'Batman', 'Top Gun: Maverick', 'Emancipation' and 'Nope'. Likewise, 'RRR' music composer M.M. Keeravaani is in the shortlist for Original Score.
'RRR' figures again in Davis's shortlist for Visual Effects and earns an honourable mention for Sound.
The Tollywood blockbuster that has gripped the imagination of the world clearly seems to be the hot favourite of the magazine that has been reporting on Hollywood and world cinema for more than a century. One win, three runners-up trophies, three on shortlists and four honourable mentions -- mighty impressive!