Laapataa Ladies was selected for Oscars as India’s official entry for scoring on ‘Indianness’; jury chairman says, ‘A film has to represent India’s social systems’

Laapataa Ladies was selected for Oscars as India's official entry for scoring on 'Indianness'; jury chairman says, 'A film has to represent India’s social systems'

As a dedicated follower of Indian cinema who has witnessed the evolution of Bollywood over the years, I must say that the selection of Laapataa Ladies as India’s official entry to the Oscars 2025 is nothing short of a triumphant moment for our nation. The film, with its unique narrative and stellar performances, truly embodies the essence of Indianness, making it an ideal choice for global recognition.


The Laapataa Ladies film team has brought India great honor by being chosen as our nation’s official submission for the 2025 Oscars. This movie, directed by Kiran Rao, boasts talented young actors such as Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Shrivastava, and Pratibha Ranta in leading roles. Notably, Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan also appear in significant roles within the film. Following the announcement, jury chairman Jahnu Barua disclosed that Laapataa Ladies was selected as India’s Oscar submission due to its strong portrayal of “Indianness.” Barua emphasized that films must capture and reflect our nation’s social systems.

In a new interview with Indian Express, Assamese filmmaker Jahnu Barua, who led the Film Federation of India jury, shared why Laapataa Ladies was selected as the official entry at the Oscars. 

According to Barua, it’s crucial for the jury to choose the correct movie that truly embodies all aspects of India. Specifically, the film should portray India’s social structures and values, as authentic Indianness is essential. He noted that Laapataa Ladies succeeded in this regard.

The filmmaker emphasized that the most fitting movie symbolizing India should be submitted as our representative for the Academy Awards. Regarding the list of 29 film options, he mentioned that the jury has the freedom to pick their preferred choice among those presented.

In simple terms, under the leadership of Jahnu Barua, the jury consisting of 13 members came to a single agreement and chose Laapataa Ladas as India’s representative in the top international film category for the Academy Awards.

On September 23, 2024, it was revealed by the Film Federation of India that the movie “Laapataa Ladies,” which is backed by Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan, has been chosen as India’s representative for the 97th Academy Awards.

Lately, following a significant announcement, director-producer Kiran Rao expressed her feelings on Instagram by penning a touching tribute to the Laapataa Ladies. In her message, Kiran expressed her immense pride and joy that her movie has been selected to stand for India at the Oscars. Additionally, she expressed gratitude towards the cast and crew of Laapataa Ladies, acknowledging their exceptional talent, commitment, and perseverance which made this film a reality.

As an utterly thrilled fan, I can’t help but share the incredible news: Aamir Khan Productions themselves have celebrated the latest triumph of Laapataa Ladies on Instagram! Their post reads, “Overjoyed and humbled to announce that #LaapataaLadies has been selected as India’s submission for the #Oscars2025!

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Laapataa Ladies was up against several other films in contention for the recent Oscars, including Animal starring Ranbir Kapoor and directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Karan Johar’s production Kill, Nag Ashwin’s film Kalki 2898 AD, as well as Srikanth, Chandu Champion, Maidaan, Sam Bahadur, Article 370, and a number of other films.

The narrative in Kiran Rao’s film, Laapataa Ladies, centers on two brides named Phool and Pushpa who unintentionally exchange places during a train trip. In this production, Nitanshi Goel portrayed the character of Phool Kumari, whereas Sparsh Shrivastava took on the role of her screen spouse, Deepak Kumar. Pratibha Ranta assumed the role of Jaya Tripathi Singh, who deceives everyone by pretending to be Pushpa Rani. Chaaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan played the roles of Manu Maai and Sub-Inspector Shyam Manohar respectively in this story.

As a dedicated follower of cinema, I had the pleasure of witnessing Laapataa Ladies at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 8, 2023. This compelling comedy-drama later graced the screens in India on March 1, 2024, and found its home on Netflix on April 26 this year. Notably, it marks Kiran Rao’s second directorial venture in Bollywood. Remarkably, she made her debut as a director with the critically acclaimed film, Dhobi Ghat, which was co-produced by Aamir Khan back in 2010.

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2024-09-23 22:37