‘Representing
our
country
is
a
wonderful
honour
and
a
mighty
task
that
we
are
all
looking
forward
to.’
Nitanshi
Goel
with
Kiran
Rao.
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Nitanshi
Goel/Instagram
With
Laapataa
Ladies
being
sent
to
the
Oscars
2025,
Kiran
Rao
has
to
now
plan
the
next
step:
Lobbying
the
film
in
Los
Angeles.
Of
course,
she
will
ask
the
only
person,
who
has
done
this
successfully:
Her
former
husband
Aamir
Khan.
“Aamir
undertook
the
challenge
at
a
time
when
there
wasn’t
as
much
awareness
of
what
the
journey
entails,
and
he
will
be
leading
it
again
this
time,”
Kiran
tells
Subhash
K
Jha.
What
was
your
reaction
when
you
heard
the
news?
A
relative
of
mine
texted
on
our
family
group
to
tell
me
the
news
because
it
flashed
somewhere.
I
was
in
the
middle
of
reading
a
script
and
thought
he
was
mistaken.
But
soon
after,
messages
and
calls
started
pouring
in.
We
have
not
had
a
moment
for
it
to
fully
sink
in.
Representing
our
country
is
a
wonderful
honour
and
a
mighty
task
that
we
are
all
looking
forward
to.
Did
you
ever
thinkLaapataa
Ladies
would
be
sent
to
the
Oscars?
Honestly,
I
did
not.
We
had
submitted
it
and
like
everyone
else,
hoped
for
the
best.
It’s
an
honour
and
extremely
exciting
for
us.
It’s
just
the
start
of
what
we
think
will
be
a
learning
and
rewarding
journey.
The
love,
support
and
guidance
is
overwhelming
and
we
are
just
taking
it
in.
Pratibha
Ranta
with
Kiran
Rao.
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Pratibha
Ranta/Instagram
How
do
you
react
to
the
outcry
on
social
media
that
All
We
Imagine
As
Light
should
have
been
selected
instead?
I’m
deeply
respectful
of
the
jury
decision
and
would
have
been
equally
respectful
had
it
chosen
any
other
film.
I
have
heard
wonderful
things
about
All
We
Imagine
As
Light,
but
I
think
the
jury
must
have
deliberated
long
and
hard,
and
carefully
considered
all
the
films
before
they
arrived
at
this
decision.
Ultimately,
what
is
important
is
to
be
able
to
put
our
best
foot
forward
and
push
boundaries,
opening
the
door
and
paving
the
way
that
much
more
for
the
next
person.
Now,
of
course,
begins
the
real
struggle
of
promoting
the
film
in
Los
Angeles.
Aamir
Khan
has
abundant
experience
with
that,
as
his
film
Lagaan
bagged
a
nomination.
Would
you
be
seeking
his
help?
Absolutely!
Collective
knowledge
and
experience
accounts
for
a
lot,
especially
in
a
journey
like
this
one.
Aamir
undertook
the
challenge
at
a
time
when
there
wasn’t
as
much
awareness
of
what
the
journey
entails,
and
he
will
be
leading
it
again
this
time.
Be
it
the
teams
at
AKP
(Aamir
Khan
Productions),
Jio
Studios
or
Kindling,
each
of
us
has
been
ideating
and
sharing
resources
and
knowledge.
What
are
the
primary
factors
that
have
made
Laapataa
Ladies
so
loved
by
discerning
audiences?
We
have
made
the
film
with
a
lot
of
honesty
and
I
hope
that
shone
through.
It’s
been
a
journey
of
many
years
and
one
thing
that
remained
unchanged
was
every
team
member’s
passion.
Be
it
my
producer,
the
cast
and
crew
or
the
studio,
it
was
like
‘aage
badho,
hum
tumhare
saath
hain‘.
The
commitment
and
sheer
love
from
each
one
of
them
is
something
that
I
will
always
cherish.
Aamir
Khan,
Nitanshi
Goel,
Kiran
Rao,
Sparsh
Shrivastava
and
Pratibha
Ranta.
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Jio
Studio/Instagram
Aamir
couldn’t
bring
home
the
Oscar.
Are
you
hopeful
that
you
will?
There
is
a
quote
by
Martin
Luther
King
Jr
that
I
love
which
is,
‘We
must
accept
finite
disappointment
but
never
lose
infinite
hope.’
This,
in
every
way,
summarises
how
we
feel.
We
want
to
give
it
our
best,
we
will
give
it
our
best.
Satyajit
Ray’s
Pather
Panchali
remains
the
most
beloved
Indian
film
abroad
to
this
day.
Why
do
you
think
we
haven’t
made
another
Pather
Panchali?
Through
his
films,
Ray
had
the
ability
to
capture
the
beauty
in
the
everyday,
the
struggles
of
life.
Just
the
manner
he
told
his
films
is
truly
unparalleled.
However,
I
think
it
may
be
unfair
to
expect
another
Pather
Panchali.
Each
film-maker
brings
their
own
set
of
influences
and
understanding
to
their
respective
works.
Personally,
I
think
trying
to
replicate
a
piece
of
art
can
never
quite
capture
its
original
soul.
Who
are
your
favourite
film-makers?
It’s
such
a
long
list.
Some
favourites
are
Satyajit
Ray,
Yasujirō
Ozu,
Agnes
Varda,
Aki
Kaurismaki
and
Bong
Joon
Ho.
But
there
are
little
things
in
each
of
the
films
I
have
seen
over
the
years
that
have
stayed
with
me.
As
a
film-maker,
what
excites
me
is
to
be
able
to
learn
something
new
ever
so
often.
