Oscars: Why 'Laapataa Ladies' was picked over 'All We Imagine...'
The Film Federation of India (FFI) recently announced Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies as India's official entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. This decision has sparked controversy as Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, was overlooked. The latter had also been shortlisted by France's Oscar committee, marking a significant achievement for Indian cinema.
'All We Imagine as Light' broke 30-year Cannes competition record
All We Imagine as Light made history as the first Indian film to compete at Cannes in 30 years, and its director, Kapadia, became the first Indian woman filmmaker to win the Grand Prize. The film's success at Cannes and its subsequent shortlisting by France's Oscar committee had led many to believe it would be India's official Oscar submission.
'Laapataa Ladies' selection surprises industry insiders
Despite its impressive track record, All We Imagine as Light was not selected as India's Oscar candidate. Instead, the FFI chose Laapataa Ladies, a film that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 and enjoyed a successful box office run in India. The decision has surprised many, particularly those outside the Indian film industry who had anticipated All We Imagine as Light to be India's choice.
Writer, filmmaker Varun Grover also commented on the issue
So, what could be the reason?
Speculation is rife that the selection of Laapataa Ladies may be influenced by the financial clout of its producer, Mukesh Ambani's Jio Studios, and the prominence of another producer, Aamir Khan. The film is already a streaming success on Netflix, which could add to its accessibility for Academy voters. However, these speculations remain unconfirmed. Similar accusations of abusing clout had come up against producer Siddharth Roy Kapur when his film Chhello Show was selected as the official entry in 2022.
'Laapataa Ladies' selection a testament to our vision: Jyoti Deshpande
Meanwhile, Jyoti Deshpande, President of Media and Content Business at Reliance Industries Limited, expressed her delight at Laapataa Ladies being chosen as India's Oscar entry. She said, "This film has got unlimited love from audiences all over the world already and is one of the most-watched films globally on OTT after its unusually long and resilient theatrical run." She further assured that Jio Studios would do everything in its power to make India proud on a global stage.
Other Indian contenders overlooked for Oscar selection
Apart from All We Imagine as Light, Anand Ekarshi's Aattam was another strong contender that was not selected for the Oscars. The film won Best Film at this year's National Film Awards. However, unlike in some countries like Israel, winning a national prize in India does not guarantee Oscar selection. All three of these films - Laapataa Ladies, All We Imagine as Light, and Aattam - revolve around women-centric themes.
