Oscars 2025: Conan O'Brien Delights Indian Audience with Hindi Greeting, Sparks Mixed Reactions

Indian viewers tuning into the 97th Academy Awards early Monday morning witnessed an unexpected treat when Oscars host Conan O'Brien opened the show with a greeting in Hindi, live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

The prestigious event, broadcast live in India on the streaming platform JioHotstar and television channel Star Plus, marked O'Brien's debut as an Oscars host. In a gesture aimed directly at the Indian audience, O'Brien addressed viewers during his opening monologue with a charming yet quirky attempt at Hindi.

"For those of you watching from India, I want to say Bharat ke logon ko namaskar wahan subah ho chuki hai toh mujhe ummeed hai ki naashte ke saath Oscars kar rahe hain (Greetings to the people of India, it's morning there, so I hope you're having breakfast with the Oscars)," O'Brien said, smiling through his enthusiastic effort.

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Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) quickly lit up with reactions. Many praised O'Brien's attempt to connect with the Indian audience:

• One user humorously remarked, "Conan O'Brien deserves an Oscar for best attempt at a foreign language! Good job, though the Hindi was definitely Hinding! #Oscars2025."
• Another appreciated the sentiment behind the greeting, stating, "#ConanOBrien kicked off the #Oscar ceremony with a thoughtful shoutout to India. Spoke in Hindi to connect with viewers in India."

However, not all viewers were equally impressed. Some expressed mild disappointment at the host's pronunciation:

• "Good attempt, but frankly, Conan totally butchered the Hindi greeting! #Oscars2025," one critic noted.
• Another bluntly added, "...that was NOT Hindi."

Despite mixed reviews, Conan O'Brien's multilingual greeting undeniably added a memorable moment to the Oscars 2025 ceremony, bridging cultural gaps and sparking conversation across Indian social media.