Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Films: Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Elephant Whisperers, RRR
The 95th Academy Awards presented last week were significant for a number of reasons. It was not just India’s night of nights, winning two ‘first’ Oscars, but it was also a momentous milestone for several Asian, including south Asian nominees.
2023 has been an extraordinary year with several remarkable wins, iconic presenters (including actress and entrepreneur Deepika Padukone, only the third Indian to attend as a presenter after Persis Khambatta and Priyanka Chopra) and, at least, one unforgettable musical performance.
The metaphysical multiverse comedy Everything Everywhere All At Once won Hollywood’s top prize as Best Picture, along with awards for Michelle Yeoh (Best Actress – the first Asian to win this category), Ke Huy Quan (Best Supporting Actor) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Best Supporting Actress). Seven awards in all. Other categories were for Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan (Best Director), Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan (Best Original Screenplay) and Paul Rogers (Best Film Editing).
Everything Everywhere All At Once triumphed with an atypical immigrant experience.
It has become the most-awarded Best Picture winner since Slumdog Millionaire in 2009 when director Danny Boyle’s film received eight awards.
For India, it was double Oscar glory, making history with a win for best documentary short and original song.
The Elephant Whisperers created a record by winning the Best Documentary Short film category. Directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, it’s a heart-warming story of an indigenous couple Bomman and Bellie, in south India, who devote their lives to caring for an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu, forging a family like no other.
When accepting the Oscar, Kartiki said: “I stand here today to speak of the sacred bond between us and our natural world, for the respect of indigenous communities and empathy towards other living beings we share space with, and finally, coexistence.”
Naatu Naatu, composed by M.M. Keeravaani with lyricist Chandrabose, is the first Indian song to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The catchy tune, that has already won a Golden Globe Award, is directed by S.S. Rajamouli, featuring actors Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr.
The song’s distinctive beat pays tribute to Indian folk music and is from the movie RRR, a Telugu-language drama set during India’s struggle for independence from Britain.
- Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Elephant Whisperers, RRR are in cinemas and Digital release
