Oscar-winning ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ producer Guneet Monga: The future for Indian cinema is audacious, the future is here and the future is truly female

Indian film producer Guneet Monga (2nd R), the winner of the Oscar for Best Short Subject Documentary for ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, at the 95th Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball in Hollywood, California on March 12, 2023
| Photo Credit: AFP

Indian documentary The Elephant Whisperers bagged the Best Documentary Short Award at the 95th Academy Awards. This makes it the first Indian production to win under the category. It is produced by Guneet Monga and Achin Jain of Sikhya Entertainment.

Monga calls this win “an incredibly powerful and historical moment”. In an official statement from the producer, she says, “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. 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!”

Directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, the Netflix documentary competed alongside four other films in the category: Haulout,  How Do You Measure a Year?,  The Martha Mitchell Effect and Stranger at the Gate. The Elephant Whisperers depicts an unbreakable bond between two abandoned elephants and their caretakers.