Before Naatu Naatu, Everything Everywhere All At Once wins — how diversity looked at Oscars?

The Academy Awards have always been accused of being unfair to people of colour. About eight years ago, a hashtag campaign called #OscarsSoWhite brought this matter to the fore. Following this, the Academy undertook several initiatives to change that troubled perception, including tweaking its membership and voting procedures. Yet, the Academy couldn't bring racial and gender parity in its awards to a satisfying level. 

While talents from underrepresented sections appreciate the efforts of the Academy to diversify its nominees and winners, many feel that there is still a long way to go before we see satisfying outcomes. 

The stars who attended the South Asian Excellence pre-Oscars party shared their thoughts on the matter of diversity at the Academy Awards. 

"We haven't hit the mark that we need to be hitting. I think we have a long way to go," Sarayu Rao, an Indian-origin Hollywood actor, told Bloomberg. 

"Can I say P for Progressing," said Megan Suri. 

Indian actor Priyanka Chopra, who is now focusing on building a successful career in Hollywood, also shared similar sentiments. "I'm no one to give grades. I have never been nominated at the Oscars. Who am I to grade them? There's a long way to go for inclusion and specifically for hype-specific diversity," she added. 

However, many have opined that they are at least happy to see the progression towards the goal of diversity, even though its pace is slow. 

On Monday, one could see all the incremental efforts paid off as Asian talents got to shine a little brighter during the 95th edition of the Oscars.    

Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert's metaphysical multiverse comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once swept seven major awards at the Oscars, bringing a much-needed break to the members of the Asian community in Hollywood. 

It bagged best picture, best director, best actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best orginal screenplay and best film editing. 

Actor Michelle Yeoh created history by becoming the first Asian woman, and second woman of colour, to win the best actress in the history of the Oscars. 

Director SS Rajamouli's RRR also created history after the film's Naatu Naatu song won the best original song award, making it the first Indian film to win in this category.