Kartiki Gonsalves’ documentary short, The Elephant Whisperers, produced by Guneet Monga, has made history as the first Indian film to win Best Documentary Short Subject at the 95th Academy Awards. The film, which was released on Netflix in December 2022, tells the heartwarming story of Bomman and Belli, an indigenous couple who care for an orphaned elephant calf named Raghu in the Mudumalai National Park. The documentary celebrates the bond between them and the natural beauty of their surroundings.
The Elephant Whisperers beat out four other nominees in the category, including Haulout, The Martha Mitchell Effect, Stranger At The Gate, and How Do You Measure A Year? This is India’s third nomination in this category, with The House That Ananda Built and An Encounter With Faces previously competing in 1969 and 1979 respectively.
India had a triumphant night at the Oscars this year, with Naatu Naatu, from SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster RRR, winning Best Original Song, and Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes receiving a nomination for Best Documentary Feature Film, which was won by Navalny. Deepika Padukone, the third Indian star to present at the Oscars after Persis Khambatta and Priyanka Chopra, introduced the live performance of Naatu Naatu on stage. The Oscars were hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the third time at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The film Everything Everywhere All At Once won Best Film, with Michelle Yeoh winning Best Actress, Ke Huy Quan winning Best Supporting Actor, and Brendan Fraser winning Best Actor for The Whale.
