India's Oscar committee chose Kiran Rao's 'Laapataa Ladies' for the Oscars 2025, and the omission of Cannes winner 'All We Imagine As Light' has started a whole new debate on the internet.
Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies added another feather to its hat after the Film Federation of India sent to the prestigious cinema event, Oscars 2025, as India's official entry. The film will fight among some of the best films from across the globe in the Best International Feature Film Category. There's no denying the fact that Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies is one of the best Indian films of 2023. However, as soon as the FFI's decision made its way online, it received mixed reactions from the netizens.
Most people are in absolute joy to see a film like Laapataa Ladies making its way to the Oscars, but there's a section that was left disappointed. Laapataa Ladies was a failure at the box office, but the moment it was dropped on the OTT giants, Netflix, it created a stir across the nation. The film was lauded for its storyline, and Kiran Rao's direction received a lot of love. However, one film that created a lot of noise in 2023 for its storyline is the critically acclaimed Malayalam film, All We Imagine As Light.
After a wait of 30-long-years, Payal Kapadia's film, All We Imagine As Light, entered into the main competition of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2024. It was a massive moment for India, as the film went on to win the Grand Prix Award at Cannes. Payal became the first Indian woman director, whose film achieved such a remarkable feat on the international stage. The film is based on the lives of three women, sheds light on their struggles, and epitomises women empowerment.
All We Imagine As Light isn't the only film that is on the lips of cinematics, which deserve to be sent to the Oscars. There's another Malayalam film, Aattam, directed by Anand Ekrashi, which won a series of awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, the National Award for Best Editing, and the National Film Award for Best Screenplay. Despite being India's best film of 2023, it wasn't selected by the FFI, which has now created a lot of controversy on the internet.
Amidst all the chaos on the internet over the Film Federation of India's decision to send Laapataa Ladies instead of All We Imagine As Light to the Oscars, the committee's President, Ravi Kottakara, has come forward to share his views on the same. Explaining the reason behind their decision to pick Laapataa Ladies, Ravi stated that the film represents the plight of the Indian woman. Addressing the backlash they're receiving on the internet, Ravi clearly stated that no matter which film they send, there will always be a section that is opposing its selection. He said:
"When they saw (jury) Laapataa Ladies, it represented the plight of the Indian woman. In the film, the woman had to wear ghoonghat, and because of that, all the misunderstandings occur. The jury's call is the most important call. What happens is, that whenever we send a film, there is always one group opposing it and one group missing."
What are your thoughts on FFI's decision to send Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies to the Oscars 2025? Let us know.
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