It’s been a great week for the Indian OTT world of cinema. The International Emmy Awards are all set to be back in November this year. They announced the award nominees earlier this week. And to everyone’s pleasant surprise, three of our stellar Indian actors and artists were a part of that coveted list! Shefali Shah, Jim Sarbh, and Vir Das were announced as the nominees for the 51st International Emmy Awards this year. It is such a proud moment for the content industry as a whole.
The International Emmy Awards play a crucial role in recognising and celebrating the best of international television content outside of the United States. It believes in promoting cultural exchange and fostering a greater understanding of the diverse perspectives and storytelling techniques found in television programs around the world. Getting an Emmy nomination means a great deal for these artists as it’s a sign of their work garnering recognition from all over the world. It means their work has been loved globally.
The Emmys
What the Oscars are to the film industry and Grammys is to the music industry, the Emmys are for the television industry. The International Emmy Awards were organised by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. They cover a range of categories, including Best Drama Series, Comedy Series, Documentary, Non-Scripted Entertainment, Arts Programming, TV Movie/Mini-Series, and Performance by an Actor and Actress, among others.
The Emmys are not restricted by language, they celebrate excellence in television programming regardless of the language in which it is produced, promoting appreciation for content from various regions. The awards ceremony serves as a platform for industry professionals from around the world to network, exchange ideas, and explore potential collaborations. It facilitates connections between talent, producers, and executives from different countries. The award winners will be announced on November 20, 2023, at the 51st International Emmy Awards Gala.
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The Nominees
Needless to say, all 3 of our nominees were beyond elated hearing this grand news. They shared their thoughts and feelings taking this nomination announcement on their Instagram while thanking the people associated with the shows.
Shefali Shah
Words are not enough to describe the acting prowess of this actress. Shefali Shah has belted out one stellar performance after another. She has been nominated under the Best Performance by an Actress category for her role as Vartika Chaturvedi in Netflix’s Delhi Crime Season 2. This show has attracted the Emmys for the second time now since Delhi Crime Season 1 bagged the award for the Best Drama Series category previously. The series follows the Delhi Police’s DCP Vartika and her team’s investigation into the gruesome crimes in the city.
“OMGGGGG I still can’t believe it. Feel so so honoured to be nominated at the International Emmys alongside such esteemed artists. This one is really special and more so because it is for a character I am very very close to, Vartika Chaturvedi and for my favourite show #DelhiCrime2. This is for all of us in #DelhiCrime” wrote Shefali, in her Instagram post sharing the good news.
Shefali Shah is nominated alongside names like Connie Nielson, Billie Piper, and Karla Souza.
Jim Sarbh
The wonderfully talented actor caught the eye and imagination of the audience, and the Emmys as Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha in SonyLIV’s biographical series, Rocket Boys. Jim Sarbh‘s towering performance has already won him many prestigious awards but the International Emmy Nomination trumps it all. Jim’s long-due nomination is under the Best Performance by an Actor category.
Addressing this moment in his post, he wrote, “Do you feel lucky, punk? Yes. Honoured to be nominated for the International @iemmys amongst such talented artists. I loved playing Dr. Bhabha. Rocket Boys is deeply etched in my mind and heart. ❤️ Big love to everyone who helped create the show.” He was also gracious enough to congratulate his fellow nominees saying “And @virdas and @shefalishahofficial: COME ON!!! 🚀”
Jim Sarbh is nominated alongside names like The Responder‘s Martin Freeman, Losi, el espía arrepentido‘s Gustavo Bassani, and Riding in Darkness‘ Jonas Karlsson. He said “I hope more shows highlight the unsung heroes of our rich history. As for bringing the trophy home, a man can hope, but truly I am just excited to be there.“
Vir Das
One of the most impeccable stand-up comedians, Vir Das has been nominated under the Best Comedy category at the Emmys for his Netflix comedy special Vir Das: Landing. His global charm is unparalleled as this is his second Emmy nomination after the debut one in 2021 for his special titled For India. ‘Landing‘ was Vir’s response to his other stand-up piece ‘Two Indias’ controversy that tells a personal story about the comedian questioning his life over the course of a long flight.
An excited Vir shared the news on his Instagram saying, “WHAT!!!!!! I got nominated for an Emmy award for best comedy 😊 my second Emmy nomination. To everyone who worked on this show Vir Das Landing, I am SO proud of you, and so grateful to @netflix_in for letting me tell my story. Off we go! #VirDasLanding @iemmys well…this is a weird full circle 😊“
Vir Das’ Netflix special is nominated alongside shows like Derry Girls – Season 3, El Encargado (The Boss), and Le Flambeau (La Flamme) – Season 2.
While congratulations are in order, apart from these 3 nominations, there’s some more good news for the Indian television industry. Ektaa R Kapoor will be felicitated with the Directorate Award for her contribution to Indian Television at the Emmys. Earlier this year, Radhika Madan was invited to be a part of the jury for the International Emmy Awards 2023.
She captioned her post saying, “So overwhelmed and grateful that I got to be a part of this year’s Jury for the INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARDS. I always dreamt of being nominated but to be on the other side was even more fulfilling. Every day I get up and get to do what I love the most, a joy I wouldn’t trade for anything. Thank you universe😇❤️“
We are so elated and proud of all the nominees and their entire team whose efforts went behind making each show a success! Crossing our fingers and hoping we bring all three trophies home.
