India is shining bright on the global stage as The Elephant Whisperers directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga won the Best Documentary Short Film award at the 95th Academy Awards on Monday, March 13 (IST). Directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, the Netflix documentary is the first Indian film to win an Oscar in the category and is also the third to be nominated after The House That Ananda Built (1969) and An Encounter With Faces (1979), respectively. The Elephant Whisperers emerged triumphant in the Best Documentary Short Film category coming on top of the other nominees among which included Haulout, The Martha Mitchell Effect, Stranger At The Gate, and How Do You Measure A Year?
'The Elephant Whisperers' wins the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film. Congratulations! #Oscars #Oscars95 pic.twitter.com/WeiVWd3yM6
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 13, 2023
Set in the Mudumalai National Park, The Elephant Whisperers released on Netflix in December 2022 revolves around an orphaned elephant calf named Raghu under the care of Bomman and Belli, an indigenous couple. The documentary shot film highlights the bond between them, while also giving audiences a glimpse at the beauty of their natural surroundings. The Elephant Whisperers directed by Kartiki Gonsalves is also the second Oscar for producer Guneet Monga's Sikhya Entertainment after Period. End of Sentence, which won the Best Documentary Short Subject award in 2019.
To all the women watching….
— Guneet Monga (@guneetm) March 13, 2023
The future is audacious and the future is here
Let’s go!
Jai hind#theelephantwhisperers
We just win the first ever Oscar for an Indian Production!
— Guneet Monga (@guneetm) March 13, 2023
Two women did this! I am still shivering ♥️🐘♥️🐘♥️
"The Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film goes to The Elephant Whisperers" is a sentence we will never forget 😭 pic.twitter.com/m3G5wdjlr2
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) March 13, 2023
Whispers turn to roars!
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) March 13, 2023
THE ELEPHANT WHISPERERS JUST WON AN OSCAR 🥳🥳🥳 pic.twitter.com/ZeD0MhzbaL
‘The Elephant Whisperers’ themselves, Bommon and Bellie are the real stars of the show. It is only through their constant support, and willingness to share a piece of their life with the world, that this film won this highest honour. pic.twitter.com/HwjatKQw6W
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) March 13, 2023
2023 has been a fruitful year for India at the Oscars as the global hit viral song 'Naatu Naatu' from RRR won the Best Original Song award in addition to The Elephant Whisperers, while filmmaker Shaunak Sen's All That Breathes secured a nomination in the Best Documentary Feature Film category, which was eventually won by Navalny. The 95th Academy Awards witnessed all the nominees grace the gala event, with actress Deepika Padukone also turning up as a presenter and introducing the live performance of the 'Naatu Naatu' song on stage. Deepika has thus become the third Indian star to present at the Oscars after Persis Khambatta and Priyanka Chopra.
