Our Bureau
Los Angeles
It was a night of celebration, thumping uproar, and even a standing ovation when Naatu Naatu was performed on the iconic stage of the 95th Academy Awards held in Dolby theatres. It’s completely a motivating Monday as Naatu Naatu from RRR won the Best Original Song and The Elephant Whisperer by Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga won an Oscar in the Best Documentary Short Film category.
“An irresistibly catchy chorus, electrifying beats, and killer dance moves to match have made this next song a global sensation. It plays during a pivotal scene in RRR… In addition to being sung in Telugu and illustrating the film’s anti-colonialist themes, it’s also a total banger. Do you know Naatu? You’re about to,” were the words of Deepika Padukone, the hugely popular Indian actor, who introduced Naatu Naatu amidst claps and cheers.
Dressed in a classic black Louis Vuitton outfit, Deepika wore a black ballgown, accessorizing it with a Cartier neckpiece. She was visibly teary-eyed while introducing Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava’s live Naatu Naatu performance, which received tremendous applause and a standing ovation.
The Elephant whisperer follows Bomman and Bellie, a couple in South India, who devote their lives to caring for two orphaned baby elephants. Guneet Monga, the producer, in her statement, said, “This is an incredibly powerful and historical moment. As two women from India, we stood on that global stage making this historical win. I’m so proud of this film, this moment and proud of my amazing team at Sikhya Entertainment, that an independent production house from India has made history to be the first ever Indian film by an Indian production to win an Oscar.”
