Staff at the South Korean embassy in New Delhi showed off their dancing chops in their cover of the catchy Naatu Naatu, an Oscar-nominated hit song from the award-winning action movie RRR. They even received rave reviews from the Indian Prime Minister himself.

The dance cover of the Telugu-language song – which means “Dance, Dance” – earned a thumbs-up from Mr Narendra Modi, who retweeted the video on his Twitter page and added: “Lively and adorable team effort.”

The video, which had more than 5,800 retweets and 45,900 likes as at 5pm on Monday, features South Korean Ambassador to India Chang Jae-bok and his staff attempting to recreate the high-energy dance routine that features in one of the film’s many high points.

Naatu Naatu and its accompanying dance have spread as fast as the film RRR, which has become a major contender in the 2023 awards season.

The spectacular period extravaganza is based on two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju (played by Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (played by N.T. Rama Rao), who form a friendship and fight against colonial British rule in the 1920s.

The film, whose title RRR is short for Rise Roar Revolt, chronicles the Indian struggle for freedom from the British and the Nizam of Hyderabad – the title of the monarch of the sovereign state Hyderabad in India.

The film is already on a winning streak in Hollywood, where it bagged several awards, including Best International Film and Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu at the Hollywood Critics Association Awards last week.

It remains to be seen if it can continue its winning streak to beat bigger stars at the 95th Academy Awards, which will take place on March 12 in the United States.

The Telugu song, by composer M.M. Keeravaani and lyricist Chandrabose, is nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars, alongside songs by Rihanna, Lady Gaga and songwriter Diane Warren.