Nanjiani’s ‘The Big Sick’ loses Oscar to ‘Get Out’
Los Angeles, March 5 (IANS) Pakistan-origin actor-comedian Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon missed out on winning an Oscar for their original screenplay for the film “The Big Sick”, featuring Indian actor Anupam Kher, here.
It was the first nomination for the couple.
The award went to Jordan Peele for “Get Out”, beating other nominees “Lady Bird”, “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri”.
“The Big Sick” is loosely based on the real-life romance between Nanjiani and Gordon. It follows an interracial couple who must deal with cultural differences after Emily becomes ill.
When the Oscar nominations were announced earlier this year, Nanjiani had tweeted: “Wow. Emily and I met when she heckled me at a comedy show in the back of a diner in 2006. We wrote a movie about it and 12 years later we’re nominated for an Oscar. I will never get over this.”
Earlier in the 90th Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, Nanjiani spoke up in support of ‘dreamers’ and immigrants in the US.
“To all the dreamers out there, we stand with you,” he said before presenting an Oscar with Lupita Nyong’o.