Oscar wins for ‘Naatu Naatu’, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ find mention in PM’s Mann Ki Baat

PTI, Dec 31, 2023, 11:58 AM IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted India’s twin wins at this year’s Oscars for the song ”Naatu Naatu” from ”RRR” and documentary short ”The Elephant Whisperers” in his last Mann Ki Baat address for 2023.

In the 108th episode of the radio broadcast, the prime minister said the world saw India’s creativity and understood the country’s connection with the environment through its entertainment industry.

”Friends, when ‘Naatu Naatu’ got the Oscar, the whole country rejoiced with joy. Who was not happy when they heard about the honour given to ‘The Elephant Whisperers’? Through these, the world witnessed India’s creativity and understood our connection with the environment,” Modi said.

At the 95th Academy Awards, the foot-tapping Telugu chartbuster ”Naatu Naatu”, composed by MM Keeravaani and penned by Chandrabose, won the best original song award and made SS Rajamouli’s ”RRR” the first Indian feature film production to bring home the Oscar.

Netflix’s Tamil documentary ”The Elephant Whisperers”, directed by debutante Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga, also became the maiden Indian production to win the Oscar in the documentary short film category.

During the Mann Ki Baat broadcast, actor Akshay Kumar also shared his fitness tips.

”Don’t live a filter life, live a fitter life,” Kumar said as he called for focusing on physical fitness as well as overall well-being.