India overjoyed at historic Oscars haul for Naatu Naatu, The Elephant Whisperers
- The dance anthem from the blockbuster Telugu-language action epic RRR is the first from an Indian film to earn an Oscars win
- Congratulations also poured in for The Elephant Whisperers, which follows the story of a south Indian couple and won best short documentary
The dance anthem from the blockbuster Telugu-language action epic RRR is the first from an Indian film to earn a nomination and win and has dazzled audiences everywhere with its energetic tempo and choreography.
The Elephant Whisperers was named best short documentary at Sunday’s night’s ceremony in a first for an Indian production. The documentary, which is streaming on Netflix, follows the story of a couple in southern India who devote themselves to caring for an orphaned elephant and explores the bond between humans and animals.
“Congratulations India” trended on Twitter after “Naatu Naatu” by M.M. Keeravani and Chandrabose trumped the likes of Rihanna and Lady Gaga to win best original song.
In the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, where the predominant language is Telugu, fans were elated over the Telugu song’s global triumph. “It’s an incredible feeling. Finally, a Telugu film did it and we have won an Oscar,” rejoiced Venkata Ramanna, a software engineer, who described the win as “exhilarating.”
