Conan O'Brien, known for his unique comedic style, is hosting the 97th Academy Awards for the first time. The prestigious event kicked off at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where Conan, known for his sharp and unique comedic style, wasted no time making an impact. Conan spoke Hindi during his monologue. As he addressed the audience in India, he said, "Greetings to the people of India. It's morning there, so I hope you are enjoying your breakfast with the Oscars." This unexpected move stunned both the live audience and viewers at home.
"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)" he said, attempting to speak in Hindi. A section of users on X praised O'Brien, popular American late-night show presenter, for trying his hand at speaking Hindi.
O'Brien kicked off the ceremony with a monologue that touched on various nominees, starting with a humorous clip of him emerging from Demi Moore's back, a reference to the body horror best picture contender The Substance. He also tackled a major controversy that had erupted over Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon's offensive social media posts.