The Indian film industry is making great strides internationally, said actor Ayushmann Khurrana on Wednesday as he endorsed going global with local content.
Citing the example of the Oscar-winning "The Elephant Whisperers", the actor said he had never imagined that a bond between man and animal will win India an Academy Award.
"Ten years ago, I had gone to this wildlife sanctuary at the trijunction of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, and witnessed first hand the relationship between man and animal. I never thought that in 2023, that relationship would've been told worldwide and give us an Oscar.
"The more we're connected to our roots, the more we'll move ahead. The more local we go, the more global we reach. Our film industry is at the cusp of global greatness. I am fortunate to be living in a time where the world has become a creative melting pot of culture," Khurrana said at the inaugural event of the 23rd edition of FICCI Frames here.
Directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, "The Elephant Whisperers" -- depicting an unbreakable bond between two abandoned elephants and their caretakers -- won the short documentary Oscar, a maiden victory for India in the category. Telugu track "Naatu Naatu" from "RRR" also won the best original song Oscar, making it the first time two India-made productions bagged the cinema world's biggest prize.
Khurrana, popular for offbeat films such as "Vicky Donor", "Andhadhun", "Article 15", and "An Action Hero", said India is being looked at as a creative juggernaut.
"...And our industry is being globally welcomed. I'll always aspire to contribute to the world of cinema through my craft, in the choices I make, and stories I tell," he added.
