Film Federation of India (FFI)'s decision to select Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies as India’s official entry for the Academy Awards 2025, sparked a major debate on social media, with many expressing their disappointment over Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine as Light not making the cut.
Defending the decision, jury chairperson Jahnu Barua said the panel was tasked with the duty of choosing the film that best represents India.
“The jury has to look at the right film that represents India on all fronts. Particularly, the film has to represent India’s social systems and ethos. The Indianness is very important, and Laapataa Ladies scored on that front,” he said in an interview with The Indian Express.
ALSO READ: 'Laapataa Ladies' review
According to Barua, the 13-member jury met in Chennai for 7-8 days and screened all 29 films submitted for selection.
“We were in constant discussion about the films, studying them, shortlisting them, and finally coming up with one name. The final discussion to reach a consensus only took half a day or so because we were constantly in conversation about the films.”
ALSO READ: 'I rejected Aamir Khan for a role in Laapataa Ladies', says Kiran Rao
In an interview with ETimes, FFI president Ravi Kottakara explained why Laapataa Ladies was chosen over Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light.
"In the jury, everyone has to decide the film. The jury liked Laapataa Ladies, and felt that All We Imagine as Light is like a foreign film and not like Indian cinema.”
Fans took to social media to question the decision, saying that if any film from India had a chance of winning an Oscar, then it was All We Imagine as Light since the film won the Cannes Grand Prix.
The Zone of Interest won the Grand Prix at Cannes '23, the same award All We Imagine As Light won this year. The Zone of Interest took home the Oscar for Best International Film. I think All We Imagine... had a strong chance with the Oscar jury, especially after its Cannes… pic.twitter.com/2ESuruKpQV
— Vishal (@vishalandcinema) September 23, 2024
The final nominations for the 97th Academy Awards will be announced on January 17, 2025.
