‘Laapataa Ladies Right Film To Represent India

‘Indian
life
is
full
of
chaos.
So
it
captures
the
cultural
chaos
quite
beautifully
and
lightly.’

As
soon
as
Kiran
Rao’s

Laapataa
Ladies
was
announced
as
India’s
entry
to
the
Oscars,
a
section
of
the
film
fraternity
had
reservations
about
it.

The
film
was
selected
by
a
13-member
committee
of
the
Film
Federation
of
India,
headed
by
Director

Jahnu
Barua,
who
has
given
us
celluloid
masterpieces
like

Halodhia
Choraye
Baodhan
Khai
(1987),

Firingoti
(1992),

Xagoroloi
Bohu
Door
(1995),

Maine
Gandhi
Ko
Nahi
Mara
(2005),

Konikar
Ramdhenu
(2003),

Baandhon
(2012)
and

Ajeyo
(2014).

Barua
tells

Subhash
K
Jha
why

Laapataa
Ladies
was
selected
and
not
the
Malayalam
film,

All
We
Imagine
As
Light,
that
seems
to
be
everyone’s
favourite.

“Whoever
has
been
saying
this,
they
should
see
the
film
(All
We
Imagine
As
Light)
first.
Then
they
should
make
comments,
otherwise
it
is
uncalled
for,”
he
says.

“You
see,
there
are
certain
criteria
for
selection
when
it
comes
to
the
Oscars.
This
is
not
the
National
Awards.
It’s
not
only
about
quality.
The
selected
film
has
to
represent
India.
So

Laapataa
Ladies
is
the
right
film
to
represent
India.

“Secondly,
it
carries
the
Indian
ethos.
Indian
life
is
full
of
chaos.
So
it
captures
the
cultural
chaos
quite
beautifully
and
lightly.
We
hardly
realise
that
behind
that
chaos,
there’s
a
lot
of
happiness
also.
We
need
to
look
at
it
from
all
aspects
before
selection.

“The
Oscars
have
their
own
regulations
for
the
Best
International
Film.
As
a
country’s
representation,

Laapataa
Ladies
fits
in.”

Commenting
on
the
other
films
short-listed
for
the
Oscar
entry,
Barua
says,
“We
have
viewed
29
films.
It
is
a
package
provided
to
us
by
the
Film
Federation
Of
India.
If
we
try
to
look
at
the
historical
facts,
we
make
the
largest
number
of
films
in
the
world.
Getting
to
select
29
from
that
is
a
huge
and
difficult
process.

“The
FFI
has
done
a
good
job
because,
it
is
very
difficult
to
make
a
package
when
we
do
not
have
that
kind
of
procedural
system.

“We
cannot
call
them
the
29
best
Indian
films.
We
can
say
they
are
the
29
which
had
the
most
potential
to
make
it
into
the
world
platform.
There
are
many
films
that
maybe
left
out.
They
did
not
apply.
The
FFI
and
the
entire
film
fraternity
needs
to
be
concerned
about
that.
They
need
to
educate
film-makers
about
how
this
(submitting
a
film
for
consideration)
is
done.”