Indian and Indian-origin talent featured in several moments at the 98th Academy Awards, held on 15 March 2026 in Los Angeles. While no film produced in India secured a nomination in the final categories, the ceremony still included notable milestones involving creators connected to the country. A rare competitive win, major documentary nominations, and a return to the stage by a global Indian star ensured that the evening carried a visible south Asian presence.
The most prominent moment came from filmmaker Alexandre Singh, whose victory in the short film category delivered one of the ceremony’s most unusual outcomes.
Alexandre Singh’s historic win in rare tie
Singh won the Best Live-Action Short Film award for Two People Exchanging Saliva, which he co-directed with Natalie Musteata. The category ended in a rare tie, with the prize shared with The Singers, directed by Sam A. Davis.
Such outcomes are uncommon at the Oscars, with this result marking only the seventh tie in the awards’ history. Both filmmaking teams were invited to the stage to accept the honour, creating one of the ceremony’s most memorable moments.
Born in Bordeaux to parents of Indian heritage, Singh first built a reputation as a visual artist before moving into filmmaking. His earlier projects have often blended theatre, visual art and cinema, reflecting an interdisciplinary approach that has shaped much of his creative work.
Before his Oscar-winning short, Singh had directed projects such as The Appointment and Plan Large, both of which attracted attention within festival circuits. His work frequently explores relationships, identity and the theatrical possibilities of film language.
The win for Two People Exchanging Saliva therefore marks a major milestone in a career that has developed across art galleries, performance spaces and film festivals.
Geeta Gandbhir earns two nominations
Documentary filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir also featured prominently at this year’s ceremony after receiving two Oscar nominations in the same year.
Her film The Perfect Neighbor was nominated in the Best Documentary Feature category, while The Devil Is Busy earned a nomination for Best Documentary Short Film.
Although neither project secured the award, the recognition highlighted Gandbhir’s longstanding contribution to documentary filmmaking. Her work often focuses on social issues, historical narratives and stories connected to justice and identity.
Receiving nominations in two separate documentary categories during the same ceremony placed her among the relatively small number of filmmakers to achieve that distinction.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas returns to the Oscars stage
Actor and producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas also appeared during the ceremony as one of the evening’s presenters. She joined Spanish actor Javier Bardem on stage to present the award for Best International Feature Film.
The appearance marked Chopra Jonas’s return to the Oscars stage nearly a decade after she first appeared as a presenter in 2016. Over the years she has become a familiar figure at global film events, reflecting her position as one of the most internationally visible Indian performers.
Her presence added another Indian connection to the ceremony, which regularly features presenters drawn from across the global film industry.
India’s official entry reaches shortlist
India’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category was Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. The Hindi-language drama advanced to the 15-film shortlist, competing with entries from dozens of countries before the Academy narrowed the field to the final nominees.
Although the film did not secure a place among the final five nominees, reaching the shortlist represented an important step in the international awards journey for the project.
A continuing Oscars connection
Indian cinema and talent have periodically appeared in Oscar history through significant wins. Composer M. M. Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose won Best Original Song in 2023 for Naatu Naatu from RRR, a moment widely celebrated across the global Indian film community.
Earlier, sound designer Resul Pookutty won the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing in 2009 for Slumdog Millionaire, marking one of the most recognised technical victories by an Indian professional at the ceremony.
Against that backdrop, the achievements seen at the 2026 ceremony add another chapter to the evolving relationship between Indian talent and the Oscars. While the year did not produce a nomination for a film from India itself, Alexandre Singh’s win and Geeta Gandbhir’s nominations ensured that creators connected to the country remained part of the global conversation surrounding cinema’s most prominent awards.
