The Elephant Whisperers: Story of Indian 'Aanai' that brought Oscar home

The 95th Academy Awards proved to be a landmark moment for Indian cinema, with The Elephant Whisperers emerging as the award-winning, traditionally rich story that revolves around the life of an Aanai (Tamil for an elephant) based in the picturesque Mudumalai National Park.

Hyderabad:TheElephant Whisperers, a short documentary directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga, walked away with the coveted Best Documentary Short Subject at the 95th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. This win is a first for India in this category, and only the third nomination in the history of the Oscars after 'The House That Ananda Built' and 'An Encounter With Faces' in 1969 and 1979 respectively.

The Elephant Whisperers is set in the picturesque Mudumalai National Park and follows the heart-warming story of Raghu, an orphaned elephant calf, and the indigenous couple, Bomman and Belli, who become his surrogate parents. The film explores the unique bond that slowly takes form between the trio, while also beautifully the breathtaking natural beauty of the park. The documentary was released on Netflix in December 2022, and has since garnered widespread critical acclaim and appreciation.

The other nominees in the Best Documentary Short Subject category were Haulout, The Martha Mitchell Effect, How Do You Measure A Year?, and Stranger at The Gate. With the jury lauding the heart and soul of the documentary, it was The Elephant Whisperers that emerged victorious.

The success of The Elephant Whisperers was not the only reason for Indian cinema to celebrate at the Oscars. The song Naatu Naatu from SS Rajamouli's blockbuster RRR won the award for Best Original Song, becoming a global sensation in the process. Filmmaker Shaunak Sen's All That Breathes was also nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film but lost out to Navalny.

In her winning speech, Kartiki Gonsalves said, "I stand here today to speak on the sacred bond between us and our natural world. For the respect of indigenous communities. For entities towards other living beings, we share our space with. And finally for co-existence. Thank you to the academy for recognizing our film highlighting indigenous people and animals.

Adding to the Indian presence at the event was actress Deepika Padukone, who presented at the Oscars this year. She became the third Indian star to present at the ceremony, following in the footsteps of Persis Khambatta and Priyanka Chopra. Padukone introduced the live performance of Naatu Naatu on stage, further highlighting the growing influence of Indian cinema on the global stage.

The 95th Academy Awards proved to be a landmark moment for Indian cinema, with The Elephant Whisperers emerging as a shining example of the country's rich storytelling tradition. The win serves as a testament to the passion and dedication of the filmmakers and the indigenous couple at the heart of the documentary, who have touched the hearts of audiences around the world.