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India celebrates first ever Oscar win

'RRR' wins the Academy Award for Best Original Song with the hit song 'Naatu Naatu', and 'The Elephant Whisperers' the Best Documentary (Short)

Maheen Khawaja 01:42 PM | 13 Mar, 2023
India celebrates first ever Oscar win
Source: M. M. Keeravani (Instagram)

Bollywood is celebrating the historic win of two Indian productions at the 95th Academy Awards. The action movie RRR made history as the first Indian film to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song with the hit song 'Naatu Naatu'.

The documentary film, The Elephant Whisperers, also won an Oscar in the Best Documentary Short category, making it the first Indian film to receive the award in this category.

The Indian-American short documentary film is a heartwarming tale that narrates the story of a couple who forms an unbreakable bond with an orphaned baby elephant, Raghu. The film's setting is the picturesque Mudumalai National Park in Tamil Nadu, South India, which is home to awe-inspiring natural surroundings.

The documentary showcases how tribal communities coexist harmoniously with nature. It is a poignant portrayal of the connection between animals and humans and how they can thrive together in harmony. The film also offers a glimpse into Indian culture and the nation's longstanding efforts to protect the environment. 

Director Kartiki Gonsalves gave an impassioned acceptance speech, highlighting the sacred connection between humans and the natural world, the significance of respecting indigenous communities, and the importance of empathy towards all living beings.

Producer Guneet Monga proudly announced the win on Instagram, calling it historic and significant, as the first-ever Oscar win for an Indian production with two women at the helm.

Although Indian films had been nominated twice before in the Best Documentary Short category, they were unable to secure the award - The House That Ananda built in 1969 and An Encounter With Faces in 1979. The Elephant Whisperers' success marks a major milestone for Indian cinema and celebrates the country's rich storytelling heritage.

MP and senior leader of the opposition Congress party Rahul Gandhi congratulated Ms Gonsalves and Ms Monga. "These two women have made India proud with their heart-warming showcase of the beauty and importance of wildlife conservation," he tweeted.

The Bollywood icon, SRK, also shared his joy on Twitter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team behind the film on Twitter, stating "Congratulations to @EarthSpectrum, @guneetm and the entire team of ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ for this honour. Their work wonderfully highlights the importance of sustainable development and living in harmony with nature. #Oscars "

Indians around the world erupted in celebration on Monday as the song "Naatu Naatu" from the action movie RRR made history by winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song, marking the first time a movie from India has won this prestigious honour.

The fast-paced song, which has gained immense popularity worldwide and even spawned a TikTok challenge, received a standing ovation during the 95th Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday night.

While Indians have won Oscars in the past, no Indian film had ever won an Academy Award until Sunday night in Los Angeles. This historic moment was further magnified by the win of "The Elephant Whisperers" in the Best Documentary Short Film category, making it two Oscar-winning films for India in one night. This is undoubtedly a momentous occasion for the Indian film industry and a milestone for its global recognition.

The Twitter account for RRR expressed their gratitude, stating, “No words can describe this surreal moment. Dedicating this to all our amazing fans across the world. THANK YOU!!” The hashtag #NaatuNaatu also trended on Twitter, and people were seen dancing in the streets to celebrate the win.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team behind the song on Twitter, stating, “The popularity of ‘Naatu Naatu’ is global. It will be a song that will be remembered for years to come.” Singer Prudhvi Chandra, one of the singers of ‘Naatu Naatu’, also praised the song, telling India Today news channel that the “entire India is proud” and that the song “will be remembered for a long time”.

In the film RRR, directed by S.S. Rajamouli and made in the Telugu language, the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ plays a pivotal role in the story. It begins when the two leads, played by Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr., show off their dance skills after being bullied as the only Indian people invited to a British party in colonial times. When a young British man aims racist insults at them, they decide to educate him using the song ‘Naatu Naatu’. During the scene, which was filmed at Ukraine’s grand Mariinskyi Palace, everyone at the party, including the scoffing British man, tries to master the moves.

Composer M.M. Keeravani and songwriter Chandrabose accepted the award on stage at the Oscars, and Keeravani burst into song, exclaiming “I feel this is about just the beginning of everything so that the world — particularly the Western world — focuses more on Indian music and Asian music, which is long due,” after winning the award.

Maheen Khawaja
Maheen Khawaja

The writer is a staff member.

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Today's currency exchange rates in Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal rates on June 3, 2023

KARACHI - Following are the foreign currency exchange rates for US Dollar, Saudi Riyal, UK Pound Sterling, U.A.E. Dirham, European Euro, and other foreign currencies in Pakistan open market on June 03, 2023 (Saturday).

Source: Forex Association of Pakistan. (last update 09:00 AM)

Currency Symbol Buying Selling
US Dollar ‎USD 298.9 302.15
Euro EUR 321 325
UK Pound Sterling GBP 375.5 380
U.A.E Dirham AED 82 83
Saudi Riyal SAR 80 81.2
Australian Dollar AUD 202 204
Bahrain Dinar BHD 758.24 766.24
Canadian Dollar CAD 228 230
China Yuan CNY 40.18 40.58
Danish Krone DKK 41.16 41.56
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 36.39 36.74
Indian Rupee INR 3.45 3.56
Japanese Yen JPY 2 2.08
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD 927.05 936.05
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 61.94 62.54
New Zealand Dollar NZD 173.16 175.16
Norwegians Krone NOK 25.67 25.97
Omani Riyal OMR 740.5 748.5
Qatari Riyal ‎QAR 78.37 79.07
Singapore Dollar SGD 220 222
Swedish Korona SEK 26.36 26.66
Swiss Franc CHF 314.07 316.57
Thai Bhat THB 8.21 8.36

Today's gold rates in Pakistan | gold price in Pakistan – June 3, 2023

Gold Rate In Pakistan Today:

KARACHI – The price of a single tola of 24-karat gold in Pakistan is Rs 232,500 on Saturday. The price of 10 grams of 24k gold was recorded at Rs197,190.   

Likewise, 10 grams of 22k gold were being traded for Rs180,756 while a single tola of 22-karat gold was being sold at Rs 210,832.

Note: The gold rate in Pakistan is fluctuating according to the international market so the price is never been fixed. The below rates are provided by local gold markets and Sarafa Markets of different cities.

Gold Price in Pakistan: Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad

City Gold Silver
Lahore PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Karachi PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Islamabad PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Peshawar PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Quetta PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Sialkot PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Attock PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Gujranwala PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Jehlum PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Multan PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Bahawalpur PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Gujrat PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Nawabshah PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Chakwal PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Hyderabad PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Nowshehra PKR 230,800 PKR 2125
Sargodha PKR 232,500 PKR 2125
Faisalabad PKR 232,500 PKR 2125
Mirpur PKR 232,500 PKR 2125

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