These two women brought home the first Oscar award for an Indian production

Producer Guneet Monga and director Kartiki Gonsalves, documentary film, The Elephant Whisperers won the Oscar award in the Best Documentary Short Film category

Guneet Monga
Photo: Twitter
Swati Gandhi New Delhi
2 min read Last Updated : Mar 13 2023 | 4:06 PM IST
India woke up to a happy Monday morning when it bagged two Oscar awards at the 95th Academy Awards. Naatu Naatu from SS Rajamouli's RRR won the award for Best Original Song. The Elephant Whisperers by director Kartiki Gonsalves and producer Guneet Monga bagged the award in the Best Documentary Short Film category.

Producer Guneet Monga and director Kartiki Gonsalves took the stage to accept the honour. The Elephant Whisperers is the first Indian production ever to win an Oscar.

The short documentary was competing with Haul Out, How Do You Measure A Year?, The Martha Mitchell Effect, and Stranger At The Gate.

Set in Tamil Nadu's Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, the film's plot revolves around an indigenous couple who adopts an orphan baby elephant. Through the course of the film, a strong bond is developed between the couple and the elephant as they attempt to nurse the injured infant.

Social media platforms have been flooded with congratulatory messages for RRR and The Elephant Whisperers teams. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Rahul Gandhi to members of the film fraternity have showered their love for India's big win.

Here is a look at these two women who made India proud and bagged an Oscar:

Kartiki Gonsalves: Based out of Mumbai, Gonsalves is a photojournalist and filmmaker. Her work focuses primarily on wildlife, the environment, and nature. Through her work, Gonsalves also explores themes connected to cultures, communities and their connections. She has travelled far and wide to document the lives of the tribal communities of India and shed light on their relationship with nature.

Guneet Monga: Guneet Monga was born to a middle-class household in New Delhi. She is not only the producer of The Elephant Whisperers but is also the founder of Sikhya Entertainment, a boutique film production house that produced some notable films, including Gangs of Wasseypur.

This is the second time Monga lifted an Oscar and made India proud. Her first big win was in 2019 with her documentary film Period. End of Sentence in the Documentary Short Subject category.

One subscription. Two world-class reads.

Already subscribed? Log in

Subscribe to read the full story →
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

Topics :Oscar AwardsOscars

Next Story