Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know T he Oscars ceremony saw a rare moment this year as the Live- Action Short Film category ended in a tie. Two films, ‘The Singers’ and ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’, shared the Academy Award this year. This is only the seventh time in Oscars history that two winners have shared the same award. Actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani presented the award at the ceremony. As he announced the result, he joked about the unusual situation. “Ironic that the short film Oscar is going to take twice as long,” Kumail Nanjiani said while calling the winners to the stage. The directors of both films came up one by one to accept the award and speak about their work. ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva,’ was directed by Alexandre Singh, who has Indian heritage, and Natalie Musteata. During his speech, Singh spoke about the power of art and creativity. “We believe art can change people’s souls. Maybe it takes 10 years time, but we can change society through art, through creativity, through theater and ballet, and cinema,” he said. Ties at the Oscars are usually very rare. The last time it happened was in 2013 when ‘Zero Dark Thirty and Skyfall’ shared the award for sound editing. Over the years, there have been a few other ties as well. One of the most famous ties hap- pened in 1968 when Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand both won the Best Actress award. According to the Academy, the rules were once different. In the early years, a film or actor could also win if the vote dif- ference was very small. Today, a tie hap- pens only when two nominees receive the exact same number of votes Directors Sam A. Davis and Jack Piatt accepted the award for The Singers. Dur- ing his speech, Davis shared his surprise at the tie. “A tie, wow. I didn’t know that was a thing. But we’re happy to be up here,” he said. He then spoke about the message of the film. He described “The Singers” as a “simple story about the power of music and art to bring us together in a moment when we live in an increasingly isolated world.” He ended his speech by saying, “May we keep look- ing for beauty in unexpected places, and may we all be brave enough to keep on singing.” The evening concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Srishti Kaul Narula, General Secretary of FIA, followed by a special dinner. -ANI Alexandre Singh And Natalie Musteata Win In Live-Action Short Film Category Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh receiving the Oscar for Live Action Short Film ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’ March 15, 2026. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM / SCREENSHOT FROMVIDEO POSTED BY CO-PRODUCERS ALAMBIC PRODUCTIONS 27 OSCARS 2026 March 20, 2026 Priyanka Chopra Jonas Presents Best International Feature Award Alongside Spanish Actor Javier Bardem Dharmendra Remembered In Oscars 2026 ‘In Memoriam’ List A ctor Priyanka Chopra Jonas was among the pre- senters at the ongoing 97th Academy Awards. The actor took the stage to present the award for Best International Feature Film. Chopra shared the stage with Spanish actor Javier Bardem as they announced the winner in the category. The award was given to JoachimTrier directorial ‘Senti- mental Value.’ The film is a Norwegian drama that tells the story of two sisters who deal with their relationship with their father, a well-known filmmaker named Gustav Borg, after the death of their mother. The story looks at family bonds, memories, and how art can affect personal lives. The movie stars Stellan Skarsgard and Renate Reinsve in key roles. Chopra arrived at the ceremony with her husband, singer and actor Nick Jonas. The couple walked the red carpet together before the show began. Ahead of her appearance, Chopra had also shared a glimpse of her preparations with fans on Instagram Stories. In a short clip posted earlier in the day, the actor was seen getting ready for the ceremony while dressed in the elegant white Dior creation, heading to the big show with Jonas by her side. -ANI T he 98th Academy Awards paid tribute to several icons of world cinema on Monday morning, but veteran Indian star Dharmendra was absent from the televised segment despite being of- ficially acknowledged by the Academy. The legendary Bollywood actor, who passed away in November 2025 at the age of 89, was included in the Academy’s official online In Memoriam list released on the day of the ceremony. Another iconic Indian actor, Manoj Kumar, who also died last year, was similarly acknowledged by the Acad- emy but omitted from the televised segment. Legendary Indian filmmaker S. Krishnaswamy, and Indian actress, B. Saroja Devi were also acknowledged by the Academy. Dharmendra remains one of Hindi cinema’s most enduring stars. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and delivered memorable performances in classics such as Sholay, Satyakam, and Chupke Chupke. Earlier this year, the actor received a prominent in- ternational tribute at the BAFTA Awards 2026, where he was honoured during the In Memoriam segment. Brit- ish singer-songwriter JessieWare performed an emo- tional rendition of TheWayWeWere, accompanied by a montage celebrating the late actor’s life and cinematic legacy. Indian-American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir re- ceived nominations in two documentary categories for The Perfect Neighbor and The Devil Is Busy, though neither project won. -ANI Priyanka Chopra Jonas with Javier Bardem presenting Best International Film award. Dharmendra on Oscars memorium list. PHOTO:ANI PHOTO:ANI