The Film Federation of India has announced to send Aamir Khan Production’s Kiran Rao-directed ‘Laapata Ladies’ to the Oscars this year.
What is the controversy?
The controversy started with the announcement to send ‘Laapata Ladies’ for Oscar nominations.
It is being said that Payal Kapadia’s film ‘All We Imagine As Light‘ would have been better.
This year, 29 films made in India in various languages were considered.
Among them, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, ‘Animal‘, ‘Chandu Champion’, ‘Sam Bahadur’, ‘Kettukalli’, ‘Article 370‘ were also considered.
The 13-member jury of the Film Federation of India unanimously recommended sending Kiran Rao’s ‘Laapata Ladies’.
This film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, but it was released in theatres for Indian audiences on March 1 this year.
Exactly 8 weeks after that, the film was released on the OTT platform Netflix.
It is being claimed that it has become the most watched film on Netflix.
Along with India’s ‘Laapata Ladies’, films from 50-52 countries have been sent in this category.
After ‘Laapata Ladies’ was selected for Oscar entry, director Kiran Rao said, “This recognition is a testimony to the tireless work of our entire team. This story came alive with the dedication and passion of the team.”
Rao said, “Cinema has always been a powerful medium to connect hearts, break boundaries and initiate meaningful discussions. I hope this film will resonate with audiences all over the world just like Indian audiences. I thank Aamir Khan Productions and Jio Studios for their unwavering support and trust. It is my good fortune that I had a talented team with me, who shared my commitment to tell this story.”
Aamir Khan’s experience will be beneficial for Laapata Ladies
‘Laapata Ladies’ is produced by Aamir Khan and his production films ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Taare Zameen Par’ have already been sent for this category.
Therefore, it is expected that using his previous experiences, Aamir Khan will be able to take ‘Laapata Ladies’ Oscar entry to a special place.
There is an Oscar jury to evaluate the films sent from all over the world for this category.
To bring them to their notice, the producers of the films sent have to arrange for tremendous publicity and many purposes.
A huge amount of money is spent in this campaign. If the selected film does not have a strong producer behind it, it has been seen that a fund raising campaign is also launched for this promotion and necessary expenses.
The energy and intelligence of the talents is spent. The entire time of five-six months is also wasted. After this, if the film is not even nominated, then the audience and film lovers of the country are very disappointed.
According to experts of Oscar awards, there is a special method of evaluating, appreciating and considering films worthy of award. In this method, films of many countries including India are left behind.
Many filmmakers of Mumbai’s Hindi film industry and film industries of other languages consider this annual ‘Oscar campaign’ unnecessary for Indian films.
Some even say that what is the need of Oscar seal for the excellence of Indian films?
In this era of globalization of art, culture and cinema, we all know what level of our films are made and what kind of attention do they get on the international stage?
What are the questions?
Most of the films that come for consideration are Hindi films and the jury also has representatives from the Mumbai film industry, so it seems that Hindi films are largely selected.
This year too, out of the 29 films that came for consideration, 14 were Hindi films.
Questions are also raised about the qualifications of the jury members. There was also a suggestion that only the best film awarded the National Film Award should be sent for Oscar entry.
In the past years, the heavy fee required to be deposited with the film sent for consideration has also been criticized.
Many filmmakers complain that they do not get information about this activity of the Film Federation of India on time.
Apart from this, many producers do not send their films for consideration. On the other hand, capable producers also enter their mediocre films.
With the films being sent for the Oscars’ Best International Film category, there is always a curiosity about how our films have fared. We keep getting happy with some news and pictures that filter through.
Anyway, every year the ‘Oscar campaign’ runs in the Indian film industry between September and February.
We are also aware of the truth of this campaign. In 2001, Aamir Khan Productions’ Ashutosh Gowariker-directed film ‘Lagaan’ was able to reach the nomination list.
Before and after that, one film is sent every year, but till now only three Indian films have been able to get nominated.
According to records, since 1957, one Indian film is sent for this category every year, but till now only ‘Mother India’ (1957), ‘Salaam Bombay’ (1988) and ‘Lagaan’ (2001) have been able to reach the nomination.
Brief review of Laapata Ladies
Kiran Rao’s ‘Laapata Ladies’ is a story of 23 years ago, 2001.
Kiran Rao has chosen the story of a fictional state named ‘Nirmal Pradesh’ to avoid any possible controversy and accusation. This is not Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh.
Still, it is certain that this fictional state (possibly Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh) shown on screen is a Hindi speaking state.
Kiran Rao has presented the social pulse of this area and exposed the male dominated thinking that has been observed in the society for centuries.
The writers and director of the film have beautifully presented a simple story of gender discrimination and traditional traditions prevalent in the society through two female characters with a sharp vision.
While presenting these characters of the rural society, they have not allowed them to become comical due to their weaknesses.
It is good that there is no sloganeering in the film and neither aggressive feminist thinking has been resorted to.
The writer-director has sensitively woven the status and possibilities of women in the layered Hindi society with ordinary incidents and events of everyday life.
This film, through the portrayal of women living a lost life in the society, reveals the reality of the ruling politics that boasts of development and developed India.
Along with the basic story of the film, many social anomalies present in the present times have also been revealed in the comments, scenes and laughter.
After a long time, villages have been shown in a Hindi film. Along with the farms, barns and village paths, the facilities useful in everyday life have been seen. Inconveniences have also been revealed.
We know that Indian villages have been left far behind in the race for development. And the wave of modernity has not yet reached there. Most of the activities in this society are relaxed.
Actor’s Strength
There is novelty in the writing of Biplab Goswami, Sneha Desai and Divyanidhi Sharma. Moreover, the new actors who have played the characters created by them do not create any preconceived notions in the audience.
There is novelty in their own way and behaviour. Even in new roles, familiar actors start looking dull due to their cliched behaviour, because the audience predicts their reactions.
Kiran Rao has not chosen any popular actor except Ravi Kishan in ‘Laapata Ladies’.
Ravi Kishan is also in a minor role, different from his popular image. He makes the character given to him intimate with his unique style, acting and expressions.
And then the twist and shift in his character also makes him a favourite of the audience.
The critics of ‘Laapata Ladies’ believe that for decades, films focusing on poverty, misery and shortcomings have been sent to international platforms.
‘Laapata Ladies’ is a new attempt. Every year, there is a controversy over the selection of films in the multilingual Indian film industry. Since the Film Federation of India is based in Mumbai.
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