CORPORATE CITIZEN CLAPS FOR INDIA’S SHOW OF PRIDE AND THE BURST OF ETHNIC FASHION FLAVOUR ON MARCH 12, 2023, WHICH HAS BEEN ETCHED IN HISTORY FOREVER
The 95th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, or simply the ‘Oscars Awards Night’, came close to championing global diversity and the inclusion wave. India made a global and historic statement in multiple ways and clinched several ‘firsts’, showcasing its entertainment influence on one of the world’s most coveted stages. It all began much before this year’s carpet moment, as ‘red’ swapped the path for ‘wine’ and several glorious moments. While ‘Naatu Naatu’, won the Oscar 2023 for the best original song, ace composer M. M. Keeravaani, stole the limelight with his rendition of the Carpenter’s ‘Top of the World’, as his acceptance speech. Lyricist Chandrabose’s ‘Namaste’ reverberated with India’s cultural ethos, breaking all divides. The ‘Naatu Naatu’, original soundtrack from S. S. Rajamouli’s Telugu-epic action drama film RRR, has become the first song from a 100% Indian-made film to have earned a nomination and win the ‘Best Original Song’ category. The song stood out for its original lyrics and rhythmic beat, becoming a global sensation much before its nominations at the Oscars. It won over Lady Gaga’s ‘Hold My Hand’ from Top Gun: Maverick, beat Rihanna’s ‘Lift Me Up’ from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, ‘This Is A Life’, from Everything Everywhere All At Once, and ‘Applause’ from Tell It Like A Woman.
In January 2023, ‘Naatu Naatu’ won the Golden Globe for best original song - a first for India, and also the Critics’ Choice award for best song. The peppy track and choreography became a global craze when the film was released in the US last year, inspiring several social media dance trends and Instagram reels. The excitement raged through and the Indian diaspora experienced yet another déjà vu moment when actress Deepika Padukone stepped onto the stage to announce the live musical song rendition of ‘Naatu Naatu’ by singers Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj and the accompanying high-octane dance performance by international dancers. The ‘Naatu Naatu’ song and dance extravaganza received a standing ovation from the distinguished gathering, who stood ecstatically mesmerized. It marked Deepika as the third Indian presenter at the Academy Awards, after Persis Khambatta and Priyanka Chopra to have done the honours on the Oscar platform.
Kartiki Gonsalves & Gunneet
Monga with the awards
But, the icing on the cake was when the esteemed gathering applauded the story of real-life heroes - Bommon and Bellie, the mahout couple based in South India, as their lives unfolded in the cinematic capture of scenic beauty and nature’s bounty in ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, bagging the ‘Best Documentary Short Subject’ award. It became the first Indian film to have notched an Oscar award in the category and a proud moment for its makers, Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga. ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ narrates the bond between an abandoned baby elephant and their caretakers in the 41 minutes’ documentary. It was Kartiki Gonsalves’s directorial debut, and her labour of love took five years to complete. She sacrificed her cushy career as a wildlife and social documentary photographer, photojournalist, and cinematographer to focus on the film with producer Guneet Monga. They worked closely with the indigenous Kattunayakan tribe and shot the film at the Mudumalai National Park, amidst Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri mountains. The film is Guneet’s second Oscar win, having won the 2010 Academy Award for the ’Best Live Action Short Film’ in the international category with Kavi (2009), highlighting bonded labour in India. Guneet has been a 2015 BAFTA nominee and is the founder of Sikhya Entertainment, with its basket of films including the Gangs of Wasseypur franchise, Peddlers, The Lunchbox, Zubaan, Masaan, and Pagglait. In 2018, Guneet was one of the first Indian producers inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Although Shaunak Sen’s, ‘All That Breathes’, failed to win in the ‘Best Documentary Feature category’, it achieved a momentous space and was recognized internationally.
‘Naatu Naatu’, is the jewel in Keeravaani’s legacy, which continues to touch global heartbeats, representing Rajamouli and Keeravaani’s fantastic collaboration. Between ‘RRR’ and ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, India has been catapulted to the world’s entertainment kaleidoscope, and it is just the beginning of many more laurels to follow in world cinema.