Entertainment / Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown

Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown

Entertainment Mar 13, 2023

by Marriska Fernandes

As always The 95th annual Academy Awards was a star studded night. The weekend leading up to Sunday’s award show also showcased the stellar star power that our South Asian celebrity contingent delivered. From Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Anjula Acharia’s “South Asian Excellence At The Oscars” fete to “RRR”‘s resounding Oscar night performance and so much more, here are our notable moments from Hollywood’s biggest night (and weekend!).

What. A. Night! South Asians took over and several history-making wins took home, making India proud to secure wins, and let’s say it, it’s about time.

RRR‘s “Naatu Naatu” is the first Indian song from an Indian cinematic production to be nominated for best original song and went on to win the history-making award. The infectious Telugu-language dance number from director S.S. Rajamouli was performed on stage by singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava and a troupe of over 20 dancers and even earned a standing ovation from the crowd.

Here’s the energetic performance of “Naatu Naatu” from #RRR at the #Oscars. https://t.co/ndiKiHeOT5 pic.twitter.com/Lf2nP826c4

— Variety (@Variety) March 13, 2023

On Twitter, critics and fans wished that the infectious number opened the Oscars, citing it was a major missed opportunity.

Winning the trophy were composer M.M. Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose. “Thank you, Academy. I grew up listening to The Carpenters, and now here I am with the Oscars,” Keeravani said in his acceptance speech, before breaking into a reworked version of a classic Carpenter’s song: “There was only one wish on my mind … RRR has to win, pride of every Indian, and must put me on the top of the world.” An elated Ram Charan, who stars in “RRR,” was seen grinning moments after the win.

**Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown: (L-R) Lyricist Chandrabose and M.M. Keeravani accepting their Oscar.** Photo Credit: www.dtnext.in

Jr NTR, from RRR holding relishing in the Oscar glow.

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A post shared by Jr NTR (@jrntr)

“Naatu Naatu” beat out four English-language films to score the trophy: “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, sung by pop icon Rihanna; “This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once, performed by David Byrne and Son Lux; “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman, penned by Diane Warren and sung by Sofia Carson; and Lady Gaga’s soaring Top Gun: Maverick ballad, “Hold My Hand.”

Deepika Padukone a vision in Louis Vuitton, presented the song and while she did, it grabbed hoots and cheers from the audience. She said: “Do you know ‘Naatu’? because if you don’t, you are about to!”. You could hear the audience’s excitement reaching a crescendo as the stage darkened preparing for the dance troupe.

Just see the grace, the poise, the elegance and the confidence to be at the world stage and do India proud… @deepikapadukone ‘s introduction of #NatuNatu is simply class apart!! pic.twitter.com/rlpjr0GcCa

— Faridoon Shahryar (@iFaridoon) March 13, 2023

India’s The Elephant Whisperers by director Kartiki Gonsalves won Best Documentary Short. The film made history by becoming the first Indian documentary to win an Oscar. The documentary tells the story of an indigenous couple named Bomman and Bellie as they care for an orphaned baby elephant.

Producer Guneet Monga shared the news on Twitter: “Tonight is historic as this is the first ever Oscar for an Indian production. India’s Glory with 2 women.”

Indian documentary feature “All That Breathes” was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature Film category but lost to Toronto filmmaker Daniel Roher’s “Navalny.”

Leading up to the weekend, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Anjula Acharia hosted a South Asian Excellence pre-Oscar party on the Paramount Studio lot inviting South Asian industry changemakers and honored Oscar nominees of South Asian descent.

In attendance were Bollywood stars Jacqueline Fernandez and Priety Zinta. Never Have I Ever stars Poorna Jagannathan and Megan Suri, Malala Yousafzai, Mindy Kaling, fashion designers Falguni Peacock, Shane Peacock, Editor-In-Chief for Vanity Fair, Radhika Jones, Queer Eye‘s Tan France, comedian Aziz Ansari, author Rupi Kaur, comedian Aasif Mandvi, Bridgerton‘s Simone Ashley, television host Hannah Simone, Ginny & Georgia‘s Raymond Ablack.

Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown: Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Mindy Kaling having fun in the Vanity Fair photo stop during the party — **Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown: Stellar group photo!** Photo Credit: www.vanityfair.com

Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown: Stellar group photo! Photo Credit: www.vanityfair.com — **Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown: (L-R): Malala Yousafzai, Mindy Kaling, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Falguni and Shane Peacock, Radhika Jones and Anjula Acharia.** Photo Credit: www.vanityfair.com

**Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown: (L-R): Falguni Peacock, Nick and Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Jacqueline Fernandez and Shane Peacock.** Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/jacquelinef143

With historic wins on stage, the “Naatu Naatu” dance number, which won the industry-filled audience over it was indeed a night to showcase the incredible depth of South Asian power players that exist in today’s Hollywood! We are thrilled to see it and expect that bench to be even more robust moving forward!

*Keep your eyes on this space for our annual Oscar’s Best Dressed List!

Main Image Photo Credit: www.instagram.com

Marriska Fernandes

Author

Marriska (@marriska.fernandes) is an entertainment expert who has been creating celebrity, movies and pop culture content for digital outlets for over ten years. From reporting headline-grabbing celebrity news to reviewing movies to interviewing Hollywood and Bollywood’s finest actors and industry...

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Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown

by Marriska Fernandes

Marriska Fernandes

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