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The 96th Oscar Awards Ceremony is on March 11 i.e. tomorrow. According to Indian time, it will start at 4 am on March 11. The film Oppenheimer has received nominations in 13 categories in this ceremony which is going to be held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. This time no film from India has been shortlisted for Oscar. Last year India got two Oscars.
Well, the 96 year old history of Oscar is quite interesting. Do you know that in the first Academy Award in 1929, the jury wanted to give the Best Actor Award not to any actor but to a dog.
Not only this, the winner selection process at Oscars is also quite interesting. When the jury decides the name of the winner, a briefcase containing the name of the winner is sealed and hidden in a secret location.
Let us now take a look at the history of Oscar…
Proposal put forward in 1927
It was earlier called Academy Award. In 1927, America's MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer thought of forming a group that would benefit the entire film industry. He gave this idea to his friends director Fred Niblo, filmmaker Fred Bitson and actor Conrad Nagel.
All three liked this idea, after which 36 top personalities of Hollywood were called to a hotel. It was here that the idea of the International Academy of Motion Picture Art and Science was pitched in front of everyone.
Everyone liked this idea, after which the Academy Awards were proposed and in March 1927, Hollywood actor and producer Douglas Fairbanks was elected its President.
After Douglas Fairbanks became President, discussions were held over what honor would be given to the winners of the Academy Awards. Then it was decided that a trophy would be given and the exercise of designing it was started in 1927 itself.
The first Academy Award took place in 1929
May 16, 1929… This was the day when 270 Hollywood celebrities were invited to the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The first awards ceremony took place here in which there were no spectators and it was over in just 15 minutes. This was a paid event whose ticket was 5 dollars.
Dog was going to get the first Academy Award
The first Oscar was officially won by German artist Emil Jannings. Although Jennings was not the first contender for this award.
This award was going to be given to a dog of German Shepherd breed, whose name was Rin Tin Tin. This dog was rescued in France during the First World War.
Later Rin Tin Tin started working in Hollywood. He had worked in 27 films. Of these, four were released in 1929 itself.
For Rin Tin Tin's brilliant acting in two of these films, the awards committee considered her deserving of an Oscar, but the Academy's first president, Douglas Fairbanks, felt that if the first award was given to a dog, it would send a wrong message. Therefore the awards committee was asked to vote again. Then German actor Emil Jannings received the first Academy Award.
This dog was so famous that writer Susan Orlan wrote a book on his life 'Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend' in which it was mentioned. However, in some reports it was also called a mere rumor and it was said that there was never any plan to give any Academy Award to Rin Tin Tin.
Wings was the first movie to win an Oscar
Wings was the first movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture. This movie, made in 1927, is also the only silent film to be awarded an Oscar Award. The special thing is that by the time Wings won the Oscar, talking films were ending the era of silent films.
In 1939, the name Oscar was replaced by Academy.
The Oscar ceremony was broadcast on radio for the first time in 1930, while it was shown on TV for the first time in 1953. Now this award ceremony is telecast live in about 200 countries, apart from this it can also be watched online.
In 1939, the name of the Academy Award was changed to Oscar. Why it was named Oscar is still a mystery.
The method of announcing winners changed in 1941
In 1929, the names of the winners of the Academy Awards were given three months in advance. But in the second ceremony it was decided that the names of the winners would be given to the media at 11 pm on the night of the award ceremony.
This sequence continued till 1941. After this, the names of the winners from the nominated list since the year 1941 are taken out in a closed envelope.
Plaster of Paris trophy given during World War II
There were three years in the initial phase of the Oscars when winners were given plaster of Paris trophies instead of golden trophies, but why did this happen?
Actually, that was the period of the Second World War. Due to this 6 year long war, there was a huge shortage of metal all over the world. When the war ended, a golden trophy was made from metal, then the winners were called and their plaster of Paris trophy was replaced with a gold plated trophy.
Charlie Chaplin's film gets Oscar after 20 years
A strange incident happened at the awards function of 1972. In that function, the comedy drama film 'Limelight', released 20 years ago, received an Oscar. This film was of Charlie Chaplin.
Although this film was released in the year 1952 itself, it was strongly opposed. The reason was Charlie Chaplin's influence with communist ideology.
The film was re-released in America in 1972, after which the film won an award at the 45th Oscar ceremony held that year. At the same time, Charlie Chaplin was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his iconic career.
Now let us know how films are sent to the Oscar Awards and what process the makers have to follow for this…
India at Oscars…
Films were sent from India 50 times in 96 years
In 1957, the Academy created the category of Best Foreign Language, after which films from all over the world including India started being sent to the Oscars.
FFI (Film Federation of India) sent its first official entry for the 29th Academy Awards for the Best International Feature Film category, which was Mother India. This film lost to 'Night of Cabiria' by just one vote.
In 96 years, India sent films for Oscar 50 times. Films like Gandhi, Slumdog Millionaire got Oscar, but these were not Indian films. Till now, Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan are the only films which have been able to reach the final nomination of Oscar. He also did not get the award.
So far, 13 Indians have received Oscar nominations, out of which only 8 have been successful in winning this award, including Bhanu Athaiya, Satyajit Ray, AR Rahman-Gulzar (shared the award), Resal Pookutty, Chandrabose-MM Keeravani, Guneet Monga. -The names of Kartiki Gonsalves (shared the award) are included.
Now know some interesting facts related to Oscar…
Oscar ceremony had to be postponed thrice
The Oscar Awards ceremony has been postponed not once, not twice, but thrice. It was postponed for the first time in 1938 due to the flood in Los Angeles, the second time in 1968 due to the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr. and the third time in 1981 after the assassination attempt on US President Ronald Reagan.
Won an Oscar at the age of 10
Tatum O'Neal was a child artist who created history by winning an Oscar at the youngest age. At the age of 10, she received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 'Paper Moon' in 1974.
Anthony Hopkins is the oldest Oscar winner
Anthony Hopkins is the only actor to win an Oscar at the age of 83. He won the Best Actor award for 'The Father' in 2021 and with this he also became the oldest Best Actor to win an Oscar.
Oscar was also associated with controversies…
2022-Hollywood actor Will Smith slapped host Chris Rock at the Oscar ceremony. Will was angry at Chris's prank on his wife. He later apologized to Chris.
2021- During the ceremony, Hollywood French actress Corinne Masereau took off her clothes on stage. The actress had reached the stage to receive the award, but as soon as she reached there, she took off her clothes to protest against the French government. Slogans were written on his body.
2017-During the Oscar ceremony, the name of the film 'La La Land' was accidentally announced for Best Picture, because the presenters had the envelope with the wrong name in their hands. Later, the mistake was rectified and 'Moonlight' was given the Best Movie Award.
Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscar ceremony
2003-Adrien Brody received an Oscar at the ceremony for the film 'The Pianist'. Actress Halle Berry had come on stage to give the trophy to Adrian, who was kissed by Adrian, which led to a controversy.
1972- Marlon Brando received the Oscar Award for Best Actor for the film 'The Godfather', although he refused to accept the award. In fact, he believed that the image of Americans was being tarnished in Hollywood films.