'Chhello Show' director opens up on ruthless cyberbullying post-Oscars selection
In September, the Film Federation of India surprised everyone by selecting the lesser-known Gujarati film Chhello Show as India's entry to the 2023 Oscars. However, it has recently brought laurels to the country after being shortlisted in the Oscars International Feature Film category. Now, director Pan Nalin has revealed that his team faced ruthless cyberbullying after the film was sent to the Academy Awards.
Why does this story matter?
Several netizens were enraged when the globally popular RRR was snubbed and Chhello Show was prioritized over it. Many cinephiles had expressed their disappointment on social media and claimed that RRR was India's first chance in over two decades, and hence, should have been the "obvious choice." Since Western critics and audiences have showered praises upon RRR, Chhello Show's selection raised numerous eyebrows.
'The worst cyberbullying happened before film's release'
Nalin made the revelation while speaking to Mid-Day. He said, "The worst was the cyber attack [before release]. My team was threatened with warnings, 'Oscars mein se film nikaal, nahi toh achcha nahin hoga (Opt out of Oscars or it won't be good for you)." "Instead of celebrating and campaigning in the US, we were busy fighting this [vitriol] for three to four weeks."
'Eventually, the power of cinema won,' opined Nalin
A section of viewers was rooting for RRR due to its humungous scale and unprecedented level of action and visual effects, and they were disappointed when Chhello Show triumphed over RRR. Addressing this, Nalin said, "When the Indian audience, critics, and industry folks finally watched the movie, they could not stop themselves from falling in love with it. [Eventually], the power of cinema won."
Film was accused of being copied from 'Cinema Paradiso'
Chhello Show also encountered some grave plagiarism allegations. Several Twitter users drew parallels with the 1988 Italian film Cinema Paradiso and criticized Nalin's work as "simply an Indian copy." The Federation of Western India Cine Employees had also demanded the decision to be "scrapped" since "Chhello Show isn't an Indian film." The body also alleged that "Chhello Show will reflect badly on India."
