OSCARS AND NAASHTA!! Conan O'Brien Greets Indian Audience in Hindi at Oscars 2025
The Oscars, broadcast live in India on JioHotstar and Star Plus, marked O'Brien’s debut as host. During his opening monologue, he acknowledged Indian audiences with a special message.
Indian viewers tuning into the 97th Academy Awards on Monday morning were treated to an unexpected moment when host Conan O'Brien greeted them in Hindi from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
The Oscars, broadcast live in India on JioHotstar and Star Plus, marked O'Brien’s debut as host. During his opening monologue, he acknowledged Indian audiences with a special message:
"Bharat ke logon ko namaskar. Wahan subah ho chuki hai, toh mujhe ummeed hai ki naashte ke saath Oscars kar rahe hain." (Greetings to the people of India, it's morning there, so I hope you're having breakfast with the Oscars.)
The gesture sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some users on X (formerly Twitter) appreciated the effort.
"Conan O'Brien deserves an Oscar for best attempt at a foreign language! Good job, though the Hindi was definitely Hinding! #Oscars2025," joked one user. Another praised his thoughtfulness: "#ConanOBrien kicked off the #Oscar ceremony with a thoughtful shoutout to India. Spoke in Hindi to connect with viewers in India."
Others were less impressed. "Good attempt, but frankly, Conan totally butchered the Hindi greeting! #Oscars2025," wrote one critic. Another bluntly stated, "...that was NOT Hindi."
Despite the divided opinions, O'Brien’s attempt to engage Indian audiences made for a memorable Oscars moment, highlighting the global reach of Hollywood’s biggest night.
In India, the awards were streamed live on JioHotstar and aired on Star Movies and Star Movies Select. Streaming beginning at 5:30 AM IST and a repeat telecast will be available at 8:30 PM on Star Movies and Star Movies Select.
American romantic comedy-drama film ‘Anora’ emerged as the undeniable star of the 97th Academy Awards, securing a total of five prestigious Oscars. Directed by Sean Baker, the film triumphed in categories -- Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Actress.
Sean Baker himself made history by becoming the first filmmaker to win four Oscars for the same film, marking a milestone in Academy Award history. The film was nominated for six awards in total.
