India: “Naatu Naatu” “The Elephant Whisperers” win the 95th Academy Awards

India: India just received two honours at the 95th Academy Awards, including Best Documentary Short Film for “The Elephant Whisperers” and Best Original Song for the song “Naatu Naatu” from the movie RRR.

The Oscars, the biggest award ceremony in the film industry, having recognised India, has opened a new chapter in the development of Indian cinema.

Both movies have strengthened their soft power in distinctive ways while presenting in the context of diversity and inclusion. Many Indian actors, including Raj Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Dhanush, Mohanlal, Deepika Padukone, and Yash, as well as producers like Satyajit Ray, Rajamouli, Raj & DK, Basil Joseph, Prashant Neel, and many others, have made significant contributions to the awareness of India in the world.

Due to its relatable and local content, Indian films like Dangal and Three Idiots have become popular worldwide. These and other factors have demonstrated that cinema is based on creativity and the right to free speech and has a significant psychological effect on viewers.

Several scholarly case studies demonstrated how Indian film with a local flavour significantly impacts spectators outside. Movies like The Elephant Whisperers and RR (in Telugu), as well as Kantara (in Kannada), Sairat (in Marathi), Pariyerum Perumal (in Tamil), Mandela (in Tamil), and Asuran (in Tamil), demonstrate the emergence of the local flavour among the overseas audiences.

Due to its global popularity, particularly in the West, RRR is now more than just a movie. Before winning the Academy Award, “Naatu Naatu” received the Golden Globe Award, the New York Film Critics Circle Award, the Critics Choice Movie Awards, and other accolades. This caused the American public to applaud it even more enthusiastically.

The members of the well-known K-pop band BTS, such as Jungkook, as well as Chang Jae-bok, the South Korean ambassador to India, and his embassy employees have posted videos of themselves dancing to the song “Naatu Naatu” on social media.

The biographies of two tribal heroes, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, left an impression on the audiences and helped inspire young people to learn more about other freedom warriors’ achievements.

The Kattunayakan tribal group in Tamil Nadu and forest rangers, on the other hand, were seen cooperating to live in harmony with the environment and wild elephants in The Elephant Whisperers, which won the Best Documentary Feature prize at the 95th Academy Awards.

It tells the heartwarming tale of how nature and humans interact and inspires readers to pursue sustainability.

Great productions that emphasise social cohesiveness and transcending societal divides have helped Indian films thrive.