'Laapataa Ladies' out; now India pins Oscars hopes on 'Anuja'
The 97th Academy Awards has released its shortlist for the International Feature Film category, and sadly, Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies) didn't make it. But India's Oscars dreams aren't over yet, as the live-action short film Anuja, produced by Guneet Monga Kapoor, is still in the race. The film tackles child labor in the garment industry and stars actors such as Nagesh Bhonsle.
'Anuja' among top 15 films in Oscars shortlist
Anuja has made it to the next round of the Oscar race, outshining 180 other films. The top 15 films that have made it to the shortlist include France's Emilia Prez, Denmark's The Girl with The Needle, and Sandhya Suri's Santosh. Other contenders include Touch, Kneecap, Vermiglio, Flow, Armand, From Ground Zero, Dahomey, and How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies.
Academy member expressed joy over 'Anuja's selection
Ujwal Nirgudkar, a member of the Oscar Academy, was also elated over Anuja's selection. He said, "I am happy to see Anuja, a live-action short film by Suchitra Matai, being selected amongst 180 short films in this category." "Guneet Monga is an Executive Producer for this film, and the star cast includes many Indian names. This shows that Indian talent is recognized worldwide."
'Laapataa Ladies' missed out despite strong narrative
Laapataa Ladies (translated as Lost Ladies in English) is a feminist drama set in rural India in the early 2000s. Laapataa Ladies's screenplay and dialogues were written by Sneha Desai, based on a story by Biplab Goswami, with additional dialogues by Divyanidhi Sharma. Despite its strong narrative and impactful storytelling, the film failed to qualify for the next round of the Oscars race.
