New Delhi (Sputnik) — The "In Memoriam" montage played during the 90th Academy Awards featured India's first female superstar Sridevi, who passed away in February, and veteran actor Sashi Kapoor, who breathed his last in December last year.
READ MORE: Millions Mourn Sudden Death of Renowned Bollywood Star
The montage was accompanied by a musical tribute by Eddie Vedder paid to all the departed souls from the cinema world. He sang Tom Petty's Room at the Top.
Hollywood actress Jennifer Garner introduced the segment by saying "there is no joy without sorrow," and she acknowledged the loss to the film world.
The Twitterati took to the social platform to interpret the tribute as a sign of arrival of the Indian film industry on the global arena. There were some who took the opportunity to lash out at the Indian media for unnecessarily sensationalizing Sridevi's death and wanted the Indian media to learn from Hollywood's way of respecting talent. The 54 year old actress recently passed away in Dubai after accidentally drowning in her hotel bathtub. The Indian media played out different conspiracy theories about the actress' sudden death, prompting condemnation by outraged fans that saw it as a mockery of her contribution to Indian cinema.
To all the news channels and hacks who indulged in frivolous and defamatory speculation about #Sridevi ji, hope you saw the tribute that was paid to her at #Oscars https://t.co/Nxz1fXJVrv's time u guys came up with worthy tribute to an icon who worked in 300 Indian films!!!
— Faridoon Shahryar (@iFaridoon) March 5, 2018
Call me a sentimental fool if you will, but I always wait for the #Oscars In Memoriam section. I knew #ShashiKapoor would be remembered at today's ceremony because he has worked abroad, but they also honoured #Sridevi today and that meant a lot. A big hug to @TheAcademy.
— Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) March 5, 2018
Oscars. Thank you for remembering Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi. Thrilled to see the name Raj Kapoor as the executive producer of the show. We are on the threshold of world cinema! pic.twitter.com/YMkqntZ4Xz
— Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) March 5, 2018
Oscars. Thank you for remembering Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi. Thrilled to see the name Raj Kapoor as the executive producer of the show. We are on the threshold of world cinema! pic.twitter.com/YMkqntZ4Xz
— Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) March 5, 2018
Sridevi and Shashi Kapoor remembered at the #Oscars. An important nod to reach of Indian cinema. pic.twitter.com/RlnLp1QKUq
— Dr. Karan Jani (@AstroKPJ) March 5, 2018
Other stars who were remembered at the Oscars were John Heard, Tony Anne Walker, Jane Foray, Robert Osborne, Martin Landau, Glenne Headly, Roger Moore, George A Romero and Jerry Lewis.
