Everything Everywhere All At Once was named Best Picture at the 95th Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, on Sunday . But for Indians watching the live telecast on Disney+ Hotstar, the evening’s biggest moments were the Oscars won by Naatu Naatu from SS Rajamouli’s RRR (in the original song category) and Kartiki Gonsalves’s The Elephant Whisperers (for short documentary).
Both RRR and The Elephant Whisperers are Indian productions. In the case of The Elephant Whisperers, Kartiki Gonsalves is the first Indian to win in the category.
Show host Jimmy Kimmel, at the end of his opening monologue, was mock-dragged off stage to dancers dancing the hook step from Naatu Naatu. The song was also performed by singers Rahul Sipiligunj and Kaala Bhairava during the ceremony in Los Angeles to a standing ovation. Music composer MM Keeravani, lyricist Chandrabose, and choreographer Prem Rakhshit were in attendance.
Naatu Naatu is the first original song from an Indian production to win an Oscar. Slumdog Millionaire (2009), which had the Oscar winner Jai Ho by AR Rahman, is a British production.
Keeravani’s thank-you speech, which he sang out to the tune of The Carpenters song Top of the World, was easily among the best Oscar acceptance speeches of the year.
In a statement, NT Rama Rao Jr said , “ cannot find the words to express my elation right now. This is not just a win for RRR but for India as a country. I believe this is just the beginning. Showing us how far Indian cinema can go. Congratulations to Keeravaani garu and Chandrabose garu. Of course none of this would have been possible without a master storyteller called Rajamouli and the audiences who showered us with all the love. I would also like to congratulate the team of ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ on their win today bringing another Oscar to India. “
In a historic first, India had three nominations at the Oscars. Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes was among five films competing in the long documentary format, but lost out to Daniel Roher’s Navalny, a profile of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.
The Elephant Whisperers, about a pair of caretakers at a reserve in Tamil Nadu, won the Documentary Short Film award. In her acceptance speech, Gonsalves, flanked by her producer Guneet Monga, said, “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 awards proceeded without incident unlike in 2022, when Will Smith strode onto the stage to slap presenter Chris Rock after Rock made an off-colour remark about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett-Smith. The shocking incident, which was televised live and interrupted the ceremony, resulted in a ban on Smith from attending the Oscars for ten years.
Kimmel made several references to The Slap during a ceremony marked by celebration of the movies and filled with heartfelt speeches. “We want you to have fun, feel safe and, most importantly, we want me feel safe,” Kimmel said in his opening monologue. “If anyone in this theatre commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech.”
Among the presenters was Indian actor Deepika Padukone, who introduced the Naatu Naatu performance.
Everything Everywhere All At Once beat nine other nominees for Best Picture, including Edward Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front, Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin, and Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick.
The movie had been widely tipped to win Best Picture, having drawn sustained praise for its inventive depiction of immigrant identity through the concept of the multiverse. The film also picked up awards for best director and original screenplay.
The film’s female lead, Michelle Yeoh, was selected as Best Actor (Female). Brendan Fraser won the male equivalent for his heartrending performance in Darren Aronofky’s The Whale.
The second biggest winner was Edward Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front, which won in several technical categories as well as International Feature Film.
Here is the complete list of nominations and winners.
Best Picture
Winner: Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The other nominees
All Quiet on the Western Front.
Avatar: The Way of Water.
The Banshees of Inisherin.
Elvis.
The Fabelmans.
Tár.
Top Gun: Maverick.
Triangle of Sadness.
Women Talking.
Directing
Winner: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The other nominees
Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin.
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans.
Todd Field, Tár.
Ruben Ostlund, Triangle of Sadness.
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Winner: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The other nominees
Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin.
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans.
Todd Field, Tár.
Ruben Ostlund, Triangle of Sadness.
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Winner: Sarah Polley, Women Talking.
The other nominees
Rian Johnson, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie, Top Gun: Maverick.
Kazuo Ishiguro, Living.
Edward Berger, Ian Stokell and Lesley Paterson, All Quiet on the Western Front.
Actress in a Leading Role
Winner: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once.
The other nominees
Cate Blanchett, Tár.
Ana de Armas, Blonde.
Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie.
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans.
Actor in a Leading Role
Winner: Brendan Fraser, The Whale.
The other nominees
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin.
Paul Mescal, Aftersun.
Bill Nighy, Living.
Austin Butler, Elvis.
Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once.
The other nominees
Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin.
Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway.
Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans.
Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin.
Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner: Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All At Once.
The other nominees
Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Hong Chau, The Whale.
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin.
International Feature Film
Winner: All Quiet on the Western Front.
The other nominees
Argentina, 1985.
Close.
EO.
The Quiet One.
Music (Original Song)
Winner: Naatu Naatu, RRR.
The other nominees
Applause, Tell it Like A Woman.
Hold My Hand, Top Gun: Maverick.
Lift Me Up, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
This Is A Life, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Music (Original Score)
Winner: Volker Bertelmann, All Quiet on the Western Front.
The other nominees
Babylon.
The Banshees of Inisherin.
Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The Fabelmans.
Cinematography
Winner: James Friend, All Quiet on the Western Front.
The other nominees
Bardo.
Elvis.
Empire of Light.
Tár.
Film Editing
Winner: Paul Rogers, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The other nominees
The Banshees of Inisherin.
Elvis.
Tár.
Top Gun: Maverick.
Sound
Winner: Top Gun: Maverick.
The other nominees
The Batman.
All Quiet on the Western Front.
Avatar: The Way of Water.
Elvis.
Production Design
Winner: Christian M Goldbeck, All Quiet on the Western Front.
The other nominees
Avatar: The Way of Water.
Babylon.
Elvis.
The Fabelmans.
Costume Design
Winner: Ruth Carter, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The other nominees
Elvis.
Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Babylon.
Mrs Harris Goes to Paris.
Visual Effects
Winner: Avatar: The Way of Water, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett.
The other nominees
All Quiet on the Western Front.
The Batman.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Top Gun: Maverick.
Makeup and Hairstyling
Winner: Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley, The Whale.
The other nominees
All Quiet on the Western Front.
The Batman.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Elvis.
Documentary Feature Film
Winner: Navalny.
The other nominees
All That Breathes.
All The Beauty and the Bloodshed.
Fire of Love.
A House Made of Splinters.
Documentary Short Film
Winner: Kartiki Gonsalves, The Elephant Whisperers.
The other nominees
Haulout.
How Do You Measure a Year.
Stranger at the Gate.
Animated Feature Film
Winner: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
The other nominees
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On.
Puss In Boots.
The Sea Beast.
Turning Red.
Animated Short Film
Winner: Charlie Mackesy and Peter Baynton, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse.
The other nominees
The Flying Sailor.
Ice Merchants.
My Year of Dicks.
An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It.
Live Action Short Film
Winner: An Irish Goodbye.
The other nominees
Ivalu.
Le Pupille.
Night Ride.
The Red Suitcase.
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