If you, too, are watching the 8oth Annual Academy Awards, you might have noticed that one of the first people thanked in an acceptance speech was a Desi. The inaugural Oscar of the night went to Alexandra Byrne, who was nominated for Best Costume Design. Byrne won for her work in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which is why she said “Thank you, Shekhar” during her brief, graceful remarks.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age is the Academy Award-winning 2007 film sequel to the film Elizabeth. It stars Cate Blanchett and is based on events during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Written by William Nicholson and Michael Hirst and produced by Working Title Films, The Golden Age is directed by Shekhar Kapur. The film has music composed by Craig Armstrong and A. R. Rahman. [wiki]
You may not have caught it, because she said “SHAKer”. I almost didn’t catch it, because I was still swooning over presenter Jennifer Garner’s flawless gown and dimples (I’m a sucker for dimples). The only reason I snapped out of my reverie is because of my crack training here in the bunker, which has given my kundi magical abilities to notice potentially bloggable topics (see what I did there? HA!).
Four years of recording the minutiae of brown everything have passed, but I still perk up and think, “hey!” when I recognize something Sepia, especially when I do so during a program I am watching for the dresses…speaking of which, it’s time for me to get back to the show…SHAKer’s star, Cate Blanchett is taking the stage…
Ah, I’m such a sucker for this stuff: “Eth-to eth por Ethpana”…and I’m in tears. Yay, Javi.
I think it’s hot he segued in to Spanish, even though it made me realize that I wouldn’t be able to thank my mom or her family in Malayalam, despite it being my first language. And yes, like Amitabh, I think that’s a big deal.
And all of that, right after the “I am Shiva”-clip from Michael Clayton…
Anna, you’re so cute and lovable sometimes.
🙂
Don’t know what the post is about, but I’ll agree wholeheartedly with this. 🙂
Awesome, I was hoping you’d find a desi theme to blog about so that I could give my top five movies of the year (of those that I have seen 🙂
In no particular order:
1) Once 2) 310 to Yuma 3) In the Shadow of the Moon 4) I Met the Walrus (short film) 5) Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men was over-rated. In order to do justice to Cormac McCarthy it should have been longer.
Awesome.. kudos to Shekhar,
On noticing things during the award show.. this is what my mom noticed while we watched, let’s just say it had something to do with how “cotillard” was pronouced.
Abhi, I’ll use your posting on your five best movies of the year to segue into an area that doubtless others sometimes chat about: the five best movies I have ever seen:
They need to get a better host. Jon Stewart comes across like the creepy guy found hanging out near school yards.
8 · Vikram said
Awww, no! I like what he’s done so far. He’s natural and funny. And I don’t even watch TDS. 🙂 I love that he brought back out the woman from “Once”…I was mad she didn’t get to thank anyone.
chachaji, thank you. 🙂
Abhi, you are welcome and btw, I’ve thought of you every time they’ve mentioned NCfOM and now I find out you thought it over-rated! Next you’ll tell me that you didn’t really like “Once”. 😉
Just dawned on me that with the newest of the five movies I listed being 1975, that list pretty much dates me:)
Everything has a desi angle.
Incidentally, Shekhar Kapur was the last person to speak to Heath Ledger before he died.
Shekhar Kapur: My ‘brother’ Heath Ledger
Stewart did a good job bringing back the woman of the duo from the best song “once”. Her speech like Marion Cotillard’s was original and heartfelt.
It was good but I watched it right after I finished reading McCarthy’s other book, The Road. Then upon leaving NCfOM I commented to my companion that it seemed like McCarthy’s bleakness probably translated to the movie without his nuance. I thought that Tommy Lee Jones character was never quite complete in the way I imagined he would have been in the book. I did like Anton though. He’s the kind of killer I’d be if I had gone into that profession. 😉
I’m still sad that Tabu and Irfan Khan weren’t nominated for their roles in the Namesake.
2 more desi Oscar connections: 2008 winner Daniel Day-Lewis had a small role in Gandhi, and a starring role in My Beatiful Launderette.
(And he holds Irish citizenship, whoo hoo!)
At least Irfan was nominated for best supporting at the Independent Spirit Awards on IFC>
I don’t know about current movies or the current Oscars, but the previous time that Jon Stewart hosted the Oscars, some parts of it were like watching a slightly less acrid version of Colbert’s performance at the White House. One got the feeling that it was not meant for the amusement of the theater audience as much as it was for the cameras. I didn’t realize it until the clips of Stewart’s performance made their way onto YouTube: he differed completely from the rest of the Oscars MC bunch (Billy Crystal / Steve Martin / …) the same way that TDS differs from Jay Leno. Where a Steve Martin would make fun of a current celebrity in what is ultimately effete banter, Jon Stewart made fun of the Oscars themselves. I recall there was this montage of sorts halfway through the event with the theme that Hollywood could effect social change through movies. To this end, the montage consisted of clips from, e.g., In The Heat Of The Night, Philadelphia, Schindler’s List and so on, all targeting hate of some form. Essentially it was a giant self-congratulatory narcissist love fest, at the end of which Jon Stewart remarked, with an expression of extreme contempt, “And after that, there was no more racism!”. Crystal and Goldberg at their most profane could not have slammed the audience as much as Stewart did with a statement like that, calling the whole of Hollywood’s achievement into question. It probably helped that he’s from New York, while most Hollywood Insider hosts tend to soft-pedal the hard humor.
i second abhi for his opinion on ‘once.’ unbelievable film. although i wonder how it works since the film was completed two years ago, does the academy filter candidates by US release date?
another thought. did anyone else note the advertisement for cymbalta (an anti-depressant) in the commercial break following the obituary segment which ended with a tribute to heath ledger (rip)?
One other desi degree of connection…Amy Ryan, nominated for her work in Gone Baby Gone, is next going to be working on Paul Greengrass’ film adaptation of Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s Imperial Life in the Emerald City…
I stoped watching the Oscar’s in 1999, when the classic Half Baked did not get one award. After that I lost faith in film critic’s
I really liked it when the “Once” guy held his Oscar and said, “MAKE ART!”
It was my first time watching the Oscars in a room full of desis. Every few minutes someone would shout, “DESI CONNECTION!!”, starting with the Shekhar call-out as A N N A reported above. So when the Coens swept at the end, I exclaimed, “JEW!! JEW CONNECTION!!”
You desis need a global media conspiracy like we got.
Ha, I was watching with NinaP. Nice to meet you.
Glenn Hansard and Marketa Inglova are great. I have NEVER seen them do that before with a winner—bring her back out, I mean. Also, A N N A, I agree with you on JGarner. She is excellent. James McAvoy is also quite fun. DESI CONNECTION! He was in a movie called Bollywood Queen. (The female lead played a side character in Bend it Like Beckham. And to anyone else who has seen BQ: yes, I know, it is not a good movie. It uses levitation to symbolize falling in love, though. You have to give it some points. And it’s not my fault I saw it—I was on a plane.)
This is an example of the kind of serious DESI CONNECTION we were pointing out. 🙂
Not a desi connection but i was pleased as hell that the last statement of the evening came from Scott Rudin thanking his honey John Barlow. Good placement, in my book.
Speaking of Shekhar Kapur & costumes, does anyone remember his modelling days from Digjam in the late 80s-early 90s? He would pose nobly in Digjam’s best suits, strking his beard (OK, not sure about that last bit :-)).
8 · Vikram said
😮 Blasphemy, I love Jon Stewart..
5 · Abhi said
Here’s my list 🙂
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/02/10/stories/2008021050130500.htm
Another desi connection: The Golden Compass’ win for Best Visual effects. Most of the visual effects were done at film production company Rhythm and Blues’ Mumbai office.
That should be Rhythm and Hues.
Not to minimize R&H India’s contribution… but they did not do most of the effects. R&H India does the roto and other lowend work to support the LA office. Of course they are getting better and slowly branching it to other parts of CG pipeline. But it’s way too early for them to claim primary credit for an Academy.
5 · Abhi said
Oh I loved Once…my friends and I were in a rage about “Falling Slowly” possibly getting the boot. Not ashamed to admit I cried a little bit when it won.
(Apologies for the formatting in my last comment, I usually avoid quoting peoples’ posts because I invariably mess them up. Obviously only the last line was me!) 🙂
Randomposter,
to diminish your attempt to diminsh the contributions of India in regards to Hollywood. I suggest you look up Prime Focus.
Also, A N N A, thank you for this post. After 17 years, I finally got to come back to visit the motherland/fatherland/homeland, and after that I also came to Bangladesh. Unfortunately, there was no coverage of the Oscars in Dhaka and although we have great “fraudband” access here, I could only read about this year’s awards ceremony online. Your post though was definitely the most interesting. Unfortunately, I also left the US before most of the award-winning movies were released.
Uhh, okay. But there are quite a few sources making that claim, not only Indian ones, but say, NPR.
Wait, I thought this post was meant to be sardonic. Are we really that hard up that a first name shout out (and little else) warrants a post on one of the biggest desi sites?
NinaP – if you really had to wait all the way till the Coen Brothers to make a Jewish connection you may be spending too much time with desis 😉
The 10 movies that I liked/enjoyed (not necessarily in that order) in 2007
1) Michael Clayton 2) 310 to Yuma 3) Before the devil knows you are dead 4) Death at a funeral 5) American Gangster 6) Bourne Ultimatum 7) Ocean’s thirteen 8) Knocked up 9) Pirates of Caribbean 10) Namesake
35 · golfastrian said
When you have a Global Media Conspiracy, you try to keep a low profile.
And there’s no such thing as too much time with desis!
Bridget, regarding your list, I was actually happy when Depp got nominated for the first “Pirates” movie when it came out. I thought he should get a nom and was happy when he did. My disappointment this year, Ashraf Barhom did not get nominated for supporting actor for “The Kingdom”. I know art reflects life but never ever thought art would reflect politics.