Oscars 2023: RRRoars, Tamil documentary wins award

It was a historic year for India at the prestigious 95th Academy Awards as the country won two awards. RRR’s iconic song Naatu Naatu took home the Oscar for Best Music (Original Song) and The Elephant Whisperers bagged the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film.

The two awards created history as Naatu Naatu becomes the first song from an Indian film to win in this category while The Elephant Whisperers becomes the first Indian film to win the prestigious award.

“Thank you Academy. I grew up listening to carpenters, and now here, I am with the Oscars.” Music composer M Keeravani said accepting the Oscars for Naatu Naatu. He then started signing these lines, “There was only one wish in my mind, so were Rajamouli and my family's. RRR has to win the every pride of Indian and must put me on top of the world.”

Dedicating her win to India, debutant director, Kartiki Gonsalves, said in her speech for the Elephant Whisperers, "I stand here today to speak for 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, for coexistence."

The Tamil short documentary depicts an unbreakable bond between two abandoned elephants and their caretakers.

The Oscars night this year turned into an Indian affair as the Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu was performed live at the start of the ceremony by American actor and dancer Lauren Gottlieb along with Rahul Sipligunj, and Kaala Bhairava and popular Indian actress Deepika Padukone made a stunning appearance as a presenter at the awards.