This year, the content from Hindi cinema was not even considered as contenders for India’s entry into the Oscars for Best International Film. A well-placed source reveals inside details. “This is the first time in the living history of Indian cinema that no Hindi film was even considered remotely eligible to represent India at the Oscars.”
While last year Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy represented India at the Oscars, this year there was not a single Hindi film in serious reckoning. Apparently films like Meghna Gulzar’s Chhapaak, Anu Menon’s Shakuntala Devi, Hansal Mehta’s Chhalaang, Shoojit Siracr’s Gulabo Sitabo, Shonali Bose’s The Sky is Pink and Anvita Dutt Guptan’s Bulbbul were not even considered, seriously or otherwise.
The source reveals, “As far Hindi applicants for the Oscar were concerned this is one of the worst years in many years. Not a single Hindi film stood out from those that were sent to the Film Federation Of India. As far as the Federation was concerned the Marathi film The Disciple and the Malayalam film Jallikattu were heads and shoulders above all the other entries and neck-to-neck between each other. Jallikattu wangled the privilege of representing us at the Oscars this year by a whisker.”
Jallikattu is directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, and it has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category for the Oscars this year. This makes it the third Malayalam film after Guru and Adaminte Makan Abu to have been selected as India’s official entry at the Oscars.
Image source: IMDb