India won big this Academy bagging two of the most coveted titles in Oscar history. Attended by the royal who’s who of the film fraternity, the Oscar Awards 2023 saw a myriad of celebrities gracing the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. The Indian crowds were at an all-time high as the insanely viral ‘Naatu Naatu’ song from the movie RRR won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ won the Best Documentary Short Subject.
The auditorium erupted in hoots, whistles, and loud cheers as an overjoyed MM Keeravani sang his appreciation in rhythm with that Carpenter’s classic melody. His ‘namaste,’ a charming little coda to his winning speech, echoed the feelings of a billion Indians on top of the world when ‘Naatu Naatu’ won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.
The global dominance of the song is now complete, as it recently grabbed the Golden Globe in the Best Original Song category. Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj sang the song live during the Oscar Award ceremony, and the beautiful Lauren Gottlieb danced to the song. Deepika Padukone introduced the performance, becoming the 3rd personality from India to attend as a presenter after Persis Khambatta and Priyanka Chopra.
Chandrabose and MM Keeravaani join a selected few Indians who have already won Oscars, including the music maestro AR Rahman, Resul Pookutty(sound engineer), Bhanu Athaiya(costume designer), lyricist extraordinaire Gulzar, and the great filmmaker Satyajit Ray, who earned an honorary award.
RRR has gained global popularity with its captivating storyline set in India during British rule. The movie has been running to packed houses in Japan, and previously held the biggest screening of the movie in a Los Angeles theatre, where the audience couldn’t resist dancing along to the catchy song, Naatu Naatu.
SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster film ‘RRR’ had the world dancing to its tune with the catchy song and made history at this year’s Oscars with the Best Documentary Short award going to ‘The Elephant Whisperers’. The film, directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga, tells a heartwarming story about the deep connection between two elephants and their human companions.
The 40-minute documentary on Netflix features Raghu, Ammu, Bomman and Bellie in their touching journey. Gonsalves emphasized the film’s message of the “sacred bond between us and the natural world and respect for indigenous communities.”
If you haven’t watched ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ yet, it’s definitely worth watching for its beautiful storytelling and portrayal of the bond between humans and animals. Winning the coveted award at the Oscars is a testament to the film’s power and impact on its viewers.
India’s Oscar victory in 2023 highlights one of our primary strengths: being unafraid of sentiment, of presenting something real and passionate to a world dominated by pallid superheroes and their even pallier stories.
