The 95th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, USA in which India won two Oscars—First in the category of Best Original Song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from film RRR (Rise, Roar, Revolt), and the second in the category of Best Documentary Short Film The Elephant Whisperers by Kartiki Gonsalves. Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes also won the nomination under Best Documentary Feature Film, but could not win.
Another highlight for India in the Oscars 2023 was that Indian actress Deepika Padukone was called as the Oscar presenter for the first time.
About the Song
‘Naatu Naatu’ is the first win for India in the Best Original Song category. The song is from the Telugu blockbuster movie RRR. It is also the first Indian film song to be nominated for an Oscar. This song was composed by M.M. Keeravani and lyrics were written by Chandrabose. RRR, directed by S.S. Rajamouli, became the first Indian mainstream production. The film is about the fictional story of two revolutionaries who fought against British rule in India. The song is a story within the larger story of the film. It has featured actors Ram Charan and Jr N.T.R. (Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao) in lead roles. The song was choreographed by Prem Rakshit. ‘Naatu Naatu’ means ‘raw and rustic’ in Telugu. Naatu Naatu’s win could be regarded as the Academy’s nod to cinema that captured the imagination of a multicultural American society.
In January 2023 also, ‘Naatu Naatu’ song made history when it won the Golden Globe for best original song, defeating contenders such as Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga. Not only that, the song also won the Critics Choice award for the best song in the same month.
Earlier in 2009, the British production, Slumdog Millionaire, had received the Oscar for Best Original Song and Score for music composer A.R. Rahman and Lyricist Gulzar for ‘Jai Ho’ song. Resul Pookutty won the Oscar for Best Sound Mixing for Slumdog Millionaire.
The Best Documentary Short Film The Elephant Whisperers was produced by Achin Jain and Guneet Monga. The 41-minute short film is the directorial debut of Kartiki Gonsalves.
The Elephant Whisperers is the story of an indigenous couple, named Bomman and Bellie, who are entrusted with an orphaned Indian baby elephant, named Raghu. They take great pains to ensure that the fragile, injured infant survives and grows to be a healthy juvenile. A strong bond develops between the couple and the baby elephant. The filim also highlights the natural beauty of the location and explores the life of the tribal people in harmony with nature. A heart-touching story of a bond between animal and human and co-existence, the film also showcases Indian culture and tradition of environment conservation.
About the Film
This short film competed against Haulout, How Do You Measure a Year?, The Martha Mitchell Effect, and Stranger At The Gate.
All That Breathes is a haunting film about a pair of Delhi-based brothers who cared for injured kites falling from the skies. Though the film did not win the Oscars, it had won accolades in Sundance and Cannes.
Significance of India’s Win of Oscar
RRR’s win of Oscar is significant particularly in the context of Slumdog Millionaire, a British production that won the Oscars in 2009. While Slumdog Millionarie can be described as a western world’s interpretation of Indian cinema’s song, dance, and mainstream masala, RRR is an Indian mainstream production that is unapologetic about its spectacle action pieces and dance numbers. This win has also brought forth the discussion if the Oscars are ‘too white’, especially due to Andrea Rice borough’s nomination in the Best Actress category, which is widely criticised for having snubbed potential names such as Viola Danis for The Woman King and Danielle Deadwyler for Till.
Both the winner films share a common thread, i.e., amplifying India’s global communication on diversity and inclusion. Thus, the win enhances Indian cinema’s soft power which has greatly contributed to the world’s understanding of India. Indian mainstream cinema has transcended borders today. Cinema is a great communication tool and can outweigh any partisanship as it is premised on free speech and creativity. These films represent India’s strength in diversity and inclusion and showcase the country’s soft power to the world more persuasively.
As the Academy Awards are considered to be the most prestigious and significant in the entertainment industry across the world, the win would certainly boost the Indian cinema industry and break away any stereotypes about the Indian cinema as well as the Oscars.
About the Oscar
Oscars or the Academy Awards, in full Academy Awards of Merit, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in California, USA, to recognise achievement in the film industry. First presented in 1929, it consists of a gold-plated statuette, commonly called Oscar. These awards are given in 24 categories. The first official Best Picture winner was Wings, a silent film directed by William Wellman.
© Spectrum Books Pvt Ltd.