Oscars 2023: India's The Elephant Whisperers scripts history, WINS Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film

In a massive feat for India, Guneet Monga's 'The Elephant Whisperers' won an Oscar for the Best Documentary Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards.

'The Elephant Whisperers' has been directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga.

The film was up against 'Haulout', 'How Do You Measure a Year?', 'The Martha Mitchell Effect' and 'Stranger At The Gate'.

Big win for India

'The Elephant Whisperers' victory came as India's first win at the Oscars this year.

An overwhelmed Kartiki Gonzalves received the Oscar on stage along with producer Guneet Monga. She dedicated the award to her "motherland India".

Interestingly, 'The Elephant Whisperers' marked Kartiki's directorial debut.

An ecstatic Guneet Monga tweeted, "We just win the first ever Oscar for an Indian Production! Two women did this! I am still shivering."

Monga later also released a statement which read, "This is an incredibly powerful and historical moment. We as two women from India, stood on that global stage making this historical win. I’m so proud of this film, this moment and proud of my amazing team at Sikhya Entertainment, that an independent production house from India has made the history to be the first ever Indian film by an Indian production to win an Oscar."

She added, "My heart is racing with all the joy, love, excitement in the moment. I’m so grateful to Kartiki, the wonderful visionary that she is. Netflix gave us the biggest stage in the world and supported us n believed in us all the way. Today I can say, the future for Indian cinema is audacious, the future is here and not to forget the future is truly female!”

About The Elephant Whisperers

Set in Mudumalai National Park, 'The Elephant Whisperers' is the moving story of an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu and his caretakers Bomman and Belli, an indigenous couple/

The documentary highlights and celebrates the bond between man and animals and also gives the audience a glimpse of the rich flora and fauna of the country.

'The Elephant Whisperers' was released on Netflix in December 2022.