Betting at the Oscars: Who will win what?

Nominated for best picture, best international feature, best director and best adapted screenplay, 'Drive My Car' is based on a short story by Haruki Murakami. (Image credit: drivemycar.film)

The Oscars is a movie about all movies. It is our night to stay in and pass the popcorn, to play guessing games and place bets, to binge-watch best scenes from best films. The suspense is nail-biting, it's an edge of the seat thriller! As we nominate ourselves in the ‘best audience’ category by picking our personal winners and losers, agreeing or disagreeing volubly with the TV when the award function gets underway, all we have to do is hope against a heart attack from all that excitement.

This year the Academy Awards go back to the Dolby Theatre. Covid had dimmed the lights everywhere, including at the Oscars. But now the ceremony is back in Hollywood. The 94^th Oscars’ ceremony returning to its rightful traditional location gives us a feeling that the pandemic is in the past.

The event will go live with hosts Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes. There will be many women and the women will be from everywhere in the world. Diversity is going to be the drama queen at the Oscars from now on. There’s a brown girl in the ring, tra la la la.

The Power of the Dog or CODA – viewers are voting for one of them as best picture. This would also mean a win for streaming giants Apple or Netflix, respectively. If repressed homosexuality gains over child of deaf adults, director Jane Campion will make history, as female directors would then be winners two years in a row after Chloé Zhao for Nomadland.

We have been brought up on song and dance by Bollywood, so music is one category Indians love. As we have all seen Encanto and loved the animated film, we can all collectively cry over their decision to nominate the song Dos Oruguitas from it – but shhh. Since they won't talk about Bruno, neither will we.

In the foreign film category, there is no Indian film, so it frees us up to root for any film actually. Still, Drive My Car may just race past the others. Not only is it the very first Japanese film to be up for best picture, it is also up for best international feature, apart from best director and best adapted screenplay. Based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, this is one road trip going places.

We Indians, from time immemorial, have been privy to very few of the screenings of the films feted during the Oscars. The award ceremony is more of a future reference; we take note of which movie to watch. We do track who wore what, but that too is a moot viewing – these are neither clothes we can afford, nor wear to Shammi aunty’s grandson’s birthday party.

And though it is an event far, far away, it is the desi connections that keep us so invested. Winners like Bhanu Athaiya, Resul Pookutty, A.R. Rahman, and the films that travelled there like Newton, Gully Boy, etc. When Priyanka Chopra walks the red carpet holding husband Nick Jonas’ hand, we are right there, holding his other hand!

Also read: 5 iconic moments from Oscars: 'Envelopegate' to Marlon Brando declining Academy Award