On Friday, there was more exciting news about the Oscars 2023 that made Indians feel proud once again. The Academy unveiled the list of presenters for the upcoming ceremony, which included the name of Indian actress Deepika Padukone. Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who has criticized Deepika many times till now, praised her this time. He remarked that good times have arrived, signaling a shift in his perspective towards the actress.
Responding on Twitter, Vivek Agnihotri said, “While travelling with #TheKashmirFiles in USA & overwhelming response of Americans, I had said that now everyone wants to increase their footprint in India. India is now the most lucrative, safe and growing market of the world. This is the year of Indian cinema.”
Vivek’s recent tweet came as a surprise to many, given his history of criticizing Deepika Padukone and even labeling her as an “Urban Naxal.” In response to Vivek’s tweet, one user pointed out the apparent contradiction, stating that just yesterday, he viewed her as an “Urban Naxal,” whereas today he praises her. Another user added that there is only so much pretending one can do.
The list of presenters for the upcoming 95th Academy Awards, which will take place on March 12 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, has been released. The list includes a star-studded cast of presenters, such as Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Michael B. Jordan, Riz Ahmed, Troy Kotsur, Glenn Close, Jennifer Connelly, Melissa McCarthy, Zoe Saldana, Donnie Yen, Jonathan Majors, and Questlove, as well as Indian actress Deepika Padukone.