The absence of two of Indian cinema’s giants from the Oscars 2022 ceremony was glaring, especially after Mangeshkar and Kumar were honoured by the British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) earlier this month.
However, the segment failed to pay tribute to two Indian legends who died recently: actor Dilip Kumar and singer Lata Mangeshkar.
Lata Mangeshkar- “Nightingale of India”
Lata Mangeshkar dubbed the “Nightingale of India,” was one of the most versatile singers in Indian cinema. Lata Mangeshkar was the singing voice for a slew of Bollywood leading ladies over the course of her nearly eight-decade career. She appeared in over 5,000 Hindi and 36 regional films, singing over 5,000 songs. However, she had a huge influence on Indian film music.
Lata has been pushing the boundaries of music with her mind-boggling abilities since 1942. Lata has sung for a variety of actresses over the years, including Madhubala and Priyanka Chopra. She was best known for her versatile voice quality, and she recorded a wide range of albums.
During her eight-decade career, Lata Mangeshkar received numerous awards and accolades.
Dilip Kumar- ‘Tragedy King’
The death of Dilip Kumar marked the end of Hindi cinema’s Golden Age. The actor extraordinaire played a wide range of characters with acute sensitivity and unmatched finesse over six decades and in over 60 films.
He’s been in some of the best Hindi films and sang some of the most memorable songs. For decades to come, his contributions to the art of performance will be felt.
Dilip Kumar received several honours, including the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and Pakistan’s highest civilian honour, the Nishan-e-Imtiaz.
He is often referred to as India’s “Tragedy King,” but his legacy is far too extensive to be summed up in a single epithet.
Fans Displeasure regarding Oscars 2022 In Memoriam segment
Fans have taken to social media to express their displeasure with the Oscars 2022 Memorium segment. Unlike Dilip Kumar, who died on July 7 of last year, Lata di died on February 6 of this year. Through their acting and music, they had made significant contributions to Indian cinema.
Fans took to Twitter to vent their frustrations and bewilderment. One wrote, “I was actually expecting #LataMangeshkar to be mentioned in the #Oscars 2022 In Memoriam. But well (sic).”
Another user blamed it on colonialism and wrote, “The amazing world-record-setting #LataMangeshkar (who passed away from Covid) sang more songs for more movies than shown in all Oscars 2022 combined. Yet, the Oscars 2022 #Inmemoriam did not see it fit to honour her even with a mention. Sometimes, I think, colonialism still lives on (sic)”
Oscar 2022, Hollywood’s biggest and glitziest night
The 94th Academy Awards, Hollywood’s biggest and glitziest night of the year, was held on Sunday, March 27. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) presented the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, honouring the best films released between March 1 and December 31, 2021.
Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes hosted the event. Moreover, on December 21, 2021, the shortlists of films competing for nominations in ten categories were announced.
At the 94th Academy Awards, Lata Mangeshkar and cinema veteran Dilip Kumar were absent from the ‘In Memoriam’ segment.
Moreover, the Oscars 2022 featured actors Irrfan Khan, Rishi Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput, and Oscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya in their tributes section for the 2021 edition.
Actors like Sidney Poitier, Betty White, Carmine Salinas, Olivia Dukakis, William Hurt, Ned Beatty, Peter Bogdanovich, Clarence Williams III, Michael K Williams, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Sally Kellerman, Yvette Mimeux, Sonny Chiba, Saginaw Grant, Dorothy Steel, Dean Stockwell, Melvin Van Peebles, Norman Lloyd, and Max Julien were honoured in the ‘In Memoriam
Producers Jerome Hellman, David H DePatie, Martha De Laurentiis, Brian Goldner, Irwin W Young, Alan Lard Jr; “Superman” director Richard Donner; “Ghostbusters” filmmaker Ivan Reitman; costume designer Emi Wada; directors Jean-Marc Vallee, Lina Wertmuller, Douglas Trumbull, Felipe Cazals; composer-lyricist Steven Sondheim of “West Side Story” fame; cinematic
Visual effects supervisor Robert Blalack, Bill Taylor, film editors John Gregory, David Brenner, Lewis Erskine, casting director Don Phillips, “Pinocchio” animator Ruthie Thompson, stunt coordinator-performer Brad Allan, and composer Mikis Theodorakis were among those honoured.
The Oscars 2022 ceremony began at 5.30 a.m. IST on Monday, according to Indian Standard Time (March 28). Star Movies, Star Movies HD, and Star World broadcasted the Oscars 2022. The Academy’s social media pages were also providing live updates. In addition, the event was streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar.
