In Memoriam: The Academy pays tribute to Irrfan, Soumitra Chatterjee, Bhanu Athaiya at 93rd Oscars ​​

Longer acceptance speeches, no jokes/sketches/songs for entertainment, and a shot at diversity marked the intimate 'redesigned' Oscars that skipped Dolby Theater for the Los Angeles’ Union Station.

History was created with Chloe Zhao's best director win, Anthony Hopkins Best Actor honour, and Yuh-Jung Youn's Best Supporting Actress Oscar. While Zhao became the first woman of colour (and second woman ever) to bag the honour, Hopkins is the oldest person to have won the statuette, and Youn became the first Korean actor to win an Academy Award.

One thing that remained from the Oscars as we knew the pre-pandemic was the show honouring the stars we lost in the last year.


Oscar nominee Angela Bassett paid tribute with a speech, which was shown in the form of a video clip and was a homage to achievers the world of screen lost over the past year, including actors, writers, film-makers, and technicians.

Among the several names the industry mourned were also actors Soumitra Chatterjee, Irrfan Khan, Rishi Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and costume designer Bhanu Athaiya.

Khan, who passed away the age of 53 on April 29 last year after a two-year battle with neuroendocrine tumour, was among the first few Indian stars to make it big in the international film fraternity. 'Life Of Pi', 'Jurassic World', 'The Namesake', 'Slumdog Millionaire', 'The Amazing Spider-Man', 'The Warrior', and 'Inferno' were among the titles that brought the gifted actor global recognition.

In a piece penned by Frida Pinto, on the Academy's site, the actress who worked with Khan in 'Slumdog Millionaire' listed her must-watch films starring the actor.


Athaiya, the first Indian to win an Oscar (jointly with John Mollo), for her work in Sir Richard Attenborough's much-feted 1982 classic 'Gandhi' passed away at her residence in Mumbai after prolonged illness at the age of 91 on October 16 last year. The film had also won her a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design.

In 2012, Athaiya had returned her Oscar to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for safe-keeping.

Veteran actor Chatterjee had passed away in November last year, after he was hospitalised in early October due to Covid-19.

Sushant Singh Rajput's tragic and sudden death by suicide last year had left the country in shock, with a investigations still underway in the case.

Kapoor, known for his films like 'Bobby', 'Do Dooni Chaar', 'Kabhie Kabhie', 'Kapoor & Sons' among the countles others, lost a two-year battle to cancer, last year.

The late Chadwick Boseman, who fans felt was snubbed when Anthony Hopkins won the Best Actor Oscar, was also honoured in the 'In Memoriam' segment, as was British actress Helen Elizabeth McCrory, who passed away on April 16 this year.