"Thank you to my motherland, India."
The Academy Awards – also known as the Oscars – is a key event in the Hollywood film industry.
The star-studded ceremony recognises and honours significant achievements in film through a vast array of categories.
Normally, the Academy Awards go into the hands of Hollywood celebrities who dazzle in American cinema.
However, the Oscars have also honoured talents from the Indian diaspora for their outstanding work within their culture.
Paying tribute to these icons, DESIblitz proudly presents a curated list of seven times when Indians won Academy Awards.
Satyajit Ray
When we discuss the most iconic Indian filmmakers, Satyajit Ray is right up there as one of the shining greats.
In his career, Ray directed 36 films, encompassing features, shorts, and documentaries.
He made his filmmaking debut with the Bengali movie Pather Panchali (1955).
Ray is particularly famous for the unforgettable Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977).
His is a legacy that stands the test of time. This was recognised at the 64th Academy Awards ceremony in 1992.
Ray was honoured with an Oscar in recognition of “his rare mastery of the art of motion pictures, and of his profound humanitarian outlook, which has had an indelible influence on filmmakers and audiences throughout the world.”
It was certainly a proud moment for Indian film connoisseurs when Satyajit Ray took home this accolade.
Bhanu Athaiya
Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi (1982) has become a classic since its release.
Ben Kingsley shines as the titular lawyer and freedom fighter.
At the 1983 Academy Awards, he won an Oscar for ‘Best Actor’.
However, he wasn’t the only one to be rewarded for his work on Gandhi.
Bhanu Athaiya, who was a renowned costume designer in Bollywood, also received an Oscar for her artwork in Gandhi.
The costumes on each character in Gandhi are intricately designed and accurate.
That makes Bhanu a very deserving winner of the award.
During her acceptance speech, Bhanu said: “This is too good to believe.
“Thank you, Academy, and thank you, Richard Attenborough, for focusing world attention on India.”
Resul Pookutty
In 2009, it was a glorious time at the Oscars for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire (2008).
The film won an impressive eight trophies.
Several of them were given to Indian winners. One of them is Resul Pookutty, who was awarded for his Sound Mixing.
Sound Mixing refers to the art of perfecting the audio and noise of the films.
This can enhance the viewing experience of the film, making movies all the more memorable for the audience.
A large victory of Slumdog Millionaire lies in its sound and audio.
Resul deserves every ounce of adulation he received for his work.
Gulzar
The veteran lyricist Gulzar has been blessing Indian films with his words for decades.
He has written lyrics for chartbusters such as ‘Kajra Re‘, ‘Beedi’, and ‘Ae Watan’.
However, his mastery of words stretches beyond India’s borders.
For the song ‘Jai Ho’ from Slumdog Millionaire, Gulzar won an Oscar for ‘Best Original Song’.
‘Jai Ho‘ is the anthem of the film and plays over Jamaal Malik (Dev Patel) and Latika (Frieda Pinto) dancing at a train station.
It is truly a masterpiece, which would not have been possible without Gulzar.
As the veteran lyricist continues to be celebrated for his work, his triumph at the Academy Awards will always be remembered.
AR Rahman
Continuing with Slumdog Millionaire, we must highlight the blue-chip composer, AR Rahman.
Rahman is one of India’s most successful and admired music directors.
He was a fitting choice for Slumdog Millionaire, which was a drama set in India.
For the aforementioned chartbuster ‘Jai Ho’, Rahman shared the victory with Gulzar for ‘Best Original Song’.
However, he also won a separate award for ‘Best Original Score’.
During his speech, Rahman utters a line from the classic Deewaar (1975) in Hindi:
“Mere paas maa hai” . (I have a mother).
This touched the hearts of Indian viewers who were elated to see Rahman on the Oscars stage.
‘Jai Ho’ was also recreated by The Pussycats Dolls, which featured Rahman’s vocals, showing the longevity of the song.
Kartiki Gonsalves & Guneet Monga
The reason why these two artists have been mentioned in the same breath is because they both share an Oscar for ‘Best Documentary Short Film’.
Kartiki and Guneet won this award for the Tamil short film The Elephant Whisperers (2023).
The film tells the story of a couple who form a strong bond with a young elephant when they vow to raise it to be a healthy adult.
It is an original piece of film that fully deserves the prestigious accolade.
During their speech, Kartiki said: “Thank you to the Academy for recognising our films, indigenous people, and animals.
“Thank you to my motherland, India.”
MM Keeravani & Chandrabose
RRR (2022) stands in a league of its own among Telugu epic films.
The film is directed by SS Rajamouli, and its music is composed by MM Keeravani.
Meanwhile, Chandrabose penned the lyrics of the songs.
One of the songs became a rage among the dancers of India. This energetic number is none other than ‘Naatu Naatu‘.
For its composition, Keeravani won an Oscar at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Meanwhile, Chandrabose was also awarded for the lyrics.
It was a victorious moment when teams from both The Elephant Whisperers and RRR were awarded on the same night.
The Academy Awards are a reputable and eminent organisation, valued by people all over the world.
When an Indian wins an Oscar, it can put Indian cinema on the map like never before.
These talents brought fame and glory to Indian art by using their originality and creativity.
For that, they deserve our respect and salutations.
As the Academy Awards continue to honour film talents from around the world, here’s hoping that this is just the beginning of a glorious ride for India at the Oscars!
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