Oscars 2018 took a somber turn as Tom Petty’s Room at the Top was performed by Eddie Vedder to remember the artistes who unfortunately passed away in 2017 and 2018. Indian cinema icon Shashi Kapoor and India’s first female superstar Sridevi were among those honored at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony here during the “In Memoriam” montage.
The Indian stars got a musical tribute by Eddie Vedder who took the stage to sing Tom Petty’s “Room at the top.”
They were included in the annual montage along with stars such as John Heard, Tony Anne Walker, Jane Foray, Robert Osborne, Martin Landau, Glenne Headly, Roger Moore, George A. Romero and Jerry Lewis.
Actress Jennifer Garner introduced the segment by paying tribute to late star Audrey Hepburn. “There is no joy without sorrow,” Garner said, and then acknowledged the loss of film world with the departed souls.
Actor Sridevi, who died unexpectedly on February 24, and legendary actor Kapoor was remembered during the In Memoriam session at the 90th Academy Awards held on Sunday, March 4th in California.
Sridevi, known for her ability to slip into myriad roles, expressive eyes, sheer comic timing and her fluid dancing skills, died on Feb. 24. Her death left everyone shocked, and saddened.
Boney Kapoor along with his daughters Janhvi and Khushi bid a final farewell to Sridevi in Rameswaram last week. The first female superstar’s untimely death in Dubai came as a shock to the film industry. Her mortal remains were brought back to India on February 27 after Dubai authorities determined that she had died of accidental drowning in her bathtub.
Son of Prithviraj Kapoor and younger brother of Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor made his debut in Bollywood with the 1961 film “Dharmputra” after working as a child artist. He passed away in December 2017.
Bollywood’s ultimate “charm house” Shashi Kapoor then went on to make a name for himself globally by associating with international cinema. He was honored with the Padma Bhushan – the third highest civilian honor – by the Indian government in 2011. In 2015, he was bestowed with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Also at the event was Kumail Nanjiani, a Pakistan-born actor, who did not let his time on stage go to waste. Before presenting the award for best production design, Nanjiani and Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o, expressed their support for the Dreamers and other immigrants. In what The New York Times describes as the Oscars’ “most pointed political statements,” the two briefly spoke about how dreams are the very foundation of Hollywood. “To all the Dreamers out there, we stand with you,” Nanjiani said.
While the glamorous Priyanka Chopra missed this year’s awards, after sizzling on the red carpet for the past two years, as she was not well. But the “Quantico” actress took to Instagram and gave a shout out to her friends attending the Oscars. “I wish all my friends nominated tonight all the very best! So sick but wishing everyone from bed! Can’t wait to know the winners! #oscars2018,” Chopra wrote on Instagram, posting along with a selfie.
Mindy Kaling was spotted at the Vanity Fair after party along with her “The Office” star B.J. Novak, sending social media into a tizzy, wishing for the two to hook up soon. Kaling said: “I will freely admit: My relationship with B.J. Novak is weird as hell. He is not my boyfriend, but he is not my best friend.”
Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman was spotted at the Oscar Concert on March 1. Included in the lineup was his famous number from “Slumdog Millionaire,” the Indo-Asian News Service reported. The concert was held at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, as part of a collaboration between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Rahman won two Oscars for “Jai Ho,” from British filmmaker Danny Boyle’s film “Slumdog Millionaire” at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009.