The biggest award night of the season is here. The 97th Academy Awards is, currently, underway at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Conan O’Brien is hosting this year, making his debut as host of the Academy Awards. Jacques Audiard’s audacious musical about a ruthless Mexican drug lord who transitions to life as a woman, leads the competition with 13 nominations.
The Brutalist secured 10 nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress categories. Wicked is also in the race with ten nominations. Bob Dylan’s biopic A Complete Unknown and Conclave are competing with 8 nominations each.
The only Indian entry, which made to the Oscars Shortlist is, Anuja – nominated for Best Live Action Short Film.
Anuja, produced by heavyweights such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Guneet Monga Kapoor, and Mindy Kaling, deals with a touching tale of a nine-year-old girl, and her sister Palak. The short film shows how the young girls brave their way when life throws them into a challenging situation.
This is Guneet Monga’s third nomination in the Oscars. Earlier, backed by Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment, Period. End of Sentence won the Oscar in the Documentary Short Subject category (2019).
Guneet Monga once again scripted history in 2023, as her Netflix Documentary Short-The Elephant Whisperers won in the Best Documentary Short category at the 95th Academy Awards.
This year’s Oscars will feature an impressive lineup of presenters. Dave Bautista, Gal Gadot, Andrew Garfield, Samuel L. Jackson, Margaret Qualley, Alba Rohrwacher, Zoe Saldana, and Rachel Zegler are among the stars set to take the stage.
They join previously announced presenters including Selena Gomez, Oprah Winfrey, Joe Alwyn, Ana de Armas, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Bowen Yang, Lily-Rose Depp, and Sterling K. Brown.
Last year’s acting winners-Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph-will also be there to present awards.
Here are the updates: