- 1. Sinners makes history with the most nominations
- 2. The race for the Oscar: Contending films
- 3. Introduction of a new category
- 4. Conan O’Brien to host for the second time
- 5. Major stars to appear as presenters
- 6. Priyanka Chopra to serve as Presenter for the second time
- 7. A special achievement for Timothee Chalamet
- 8. Security arrangements heightened amid global tensions
- 9. Oscars 2026 India Live Streaming time
- 10. Oscars can be watched on TV and OTT
The 98th edition of the Oscars, the film industry’s most prominent and celebrated awards, will be held today, Sunday, March 15. The awards ceremony will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. However, in India, viewers will be able to watch the broadcast starting at 4:30 AM on Monday, March 16. Ahead of the ceremony, let’s explore what makes this year’s Oscars unique and distinct, and which film might just make history.
1. Sinners makes history with the most nominations
At the 2026 Oscars, all eyes are typically focused on the winners. Among the films and actors vying for an Oscar this year, the spotlight shines brightest on Ryan Coogler’s Sinners.
This film has received a total of 16 nominations, including nods for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director. This marks the highest number of nominations ever received by a single film in Oscar history. Sinners has surpassed the record of 14 nominations previously held by films such as Titanic and La La Land.
2. The race for the Oscar: Contending films
Apart from Sinners, another major contender in the race for an Oscar this year is Leonardo DiCaprio’s One Battle After Another. It has garnered 13 nominations.
Additionally, three films tie for third place with 9 nominations each: Frankenstein, Marty Supreme and Sentimental Value. These films will be competing fiercely to bag as many Oscars as possible, including the coveted Best Picture award. However, the primary focus remains firmly fixed on Sinners and One Battle After Another
3. Introduction of a new category
A new award category has been introduced for the 2026 Oscars. For the first time this year, an award will be presented in the Best Casting category, bringing the total number of competitive categories to 24. Previously, this category was not included; however, 98 years later, this new category has finally been added.
4. Conan O’Brien to host for the second time
Popular comedian and host Conan O’Brien will once again host the Oscars ceremony. He will be hosting the event for the second consecutive time.
5. Major stars to appear as presenters
At the Oscars, presenters play a pivotal role alongside the winners themselves. As is the tradition, this year’s lineup of presenters features several legendary names. These include international stars such as Robert Downey Jr, Anne Hathaway, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Mescal, Chris Evans and Will Arnett.
Additionally, last year’s winners will also be seen on stage this time around to present the trophies. This group includes Mikey Madison (Best Actress), Adrien Brody (Best Actor), Zoe Saldana (Best Supporting Actress) and Kieran Culkin (Best Supporting Actor).
6. Priyanka Chopra to serve as Presenter for the second time
Indian actress and global star Priyanka Chopra will also make an appearance as a presenter at the 98th Academy Awards. This time, Priyanka will take the stage to present an award alongside Robert Downey Jr and Anne Hathaway. This marks the second occasion on which Priyanka has served as a presenter at the Oscars; she previously appeared in this capacity at the 2016 ceremony.
7. A special achievement for Timothee Chalamet
Among this year’s nominations, actor Timothee Chalamet has achieved a remarkable milestone. He has been nominated in the Best Actor category for the film Marty Supreme. With this nomination, he joins the ranks of the youngest actors to have received nominations in three distinct acting categories, all by the age of just 30.
8. Security arrangements heightened amid global tensions
Due to the ongoing global tensions involving Iran, the US and Israel, stringent security measures have been implemented for this year’s Oscars. Security arrangements have been further fortified, particularly following threats of drone attacks from Iran.
9. Oscars 2026 India Live Streaming time
The Oscars Awards ceremony, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 15, will be available for viewing in India starting at 3:30 AM on the morning of Monday, March 16. By this time, the Oscars’ Red Carpet coverage will have already begun. This segment features celebrity interviews and fashion highlights.
However, the main Oscars ceremony itself will commence one hour later, that is, at 4:30 AM. From that point on, the program is expected to run for at least four hours. Subsequently, the event will also be re-telecast in India on the night of March 16 at 9:00 PM.
10. Oscars can be watched on TV and OTT
According to the official Oscars website, viewers in India can watch the Oscars through both television and digital platforms. On TV, the telecast will be available on Star Movies, Star Movies Select and Colors Infinity; meanwhile, on OTT platforms, it can be streamed on Jio Hotstar.
Also Read: RRR to Slumdog Millionaire: Indian films that have won Oscars over the years across categories
