Oscars 2023: Guneet Monga expressed her “extreme disheartenment” at having her speech cut short

A video from the Oscars went viral, showing that Guneet was denied the chance to deliver her acceptance speech. In a recent interview, the legendary producer responded to the same and expressed her disbelief.

The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary produced by Guneet Monga, won the Best Documentary Short Film Oscar at the 2023 Academy Awards. It is undoubtedly a great occasion for India, and Guneet and director Kartiki Gonsalves have been receiving support online. But recently, a video from the Oscars went viral, showing that Guneet was denied the chance to deliver her acceptance speech. In a recent interview, the legendary producer responded to the same and expressed her disbelief.

The producer stated, “I am extremely disheartened that my speech was cut off. There was a shock on my face. I just wanted to say it’s India’s first Oscar in an Indian production, which is such a huge thing. My heart started racing as I couldn’t have come so far and not be heard. Western media is pulling up The Academy that I did not get to speak.”

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Guneet was allowed to give her entire prepared statement in the press room after she won. Several users of social media argued that it was unjust for the Academy to prevent Guneet from speaking. Several also speculated that there could be a racial factor involved, given that other victors were permitted to stay on stage longer than their allocated 45 seconds.

Guneet expressed that she was “extremely disheartened” at having her speech cut short to the Bombay Times. She claimed that when she realised she couldn’t have travelled so far and gone unheard, her heart began to race. She said that many are insulted by the fact that she was not given the opportunity to deliver her speech. Guneet remarked, “There was a shock on my face. I just wanted to say it’s India’s first Oscar in Indian production, which is such a huge thing.”