Oscars: Why Laapataa Ladies Was Selected

‘Everyone
should
understand
that

Laapataa
Ladies
is
not
the
only
best
film
in
India.’
‘It
is
one
of
the
best
films
out
of
these
29
entries.’

Wildlife
film-maker

Subbiah
Nalla
Muthu,
who
was
a
part
of
the
Film
Federation
of
India
jury,
which
selected


India’s
entry
to
the
Oscars
for
Best
International
Film,
says

Laapataa
Ladies
is
not
the
only
best
film
in
India.

Muthu
addresses
the
controversy
over
the
selection
of
Kiran
Rao’s


well-reviewed
film,
and
feels
it
is
uncalled
for.

“Everyone
should
understand
that

Laapataa
Ladies
is
not
the
only
best
film
in
India.
It
is
one
of
the
best
films
out
of
these


29
entries,”
Muthu
explains
to

Subhash
K
Jha.

“Every
member
of
the
jury
had
to
compare
those
29,
and
they
unanimously
selected

Laapataa
Ladies.
It’s
a
voting
system.
There
was
a
Tamil
film
also,
more
or
less
close
to

Laapataa
Ladies.”

Muthu
asserts
that
those
who
supported

All
We
Imagine
As
Light
had
not
even
seen
it.

“Everyone
felt
it
is
more
or
less
like
a
French
film
shot
in
Malayalam.
Not
even
one
person
from
the
jury
raised
their
hand
to
vote
for
this
film,”
he
says.

“See,
one
more
thing
everyone
has
to
understand:
Oscar
selection
is
not
about
being
the
best.
Out
of
those
29
films,
one
has
to
see
which
film
is
going
to
have
the
optimum
impact
on
the
Western
jury.

“Also,
what
is
the
competition
there?
Are
we
even
aware
of
that?
Eighty
countries
will
send
the
entry
they
think
will
get
them
the
award.
That’s
the
motive.
Whether
it
is
a
good
film
or
bad
is
different,
that’s
completely
subjective.

“In
that
29,
which
is
the
best
film
that
will
impress
the
Westerners?
Which
is
most
worthy
of
getting
the
attention
of
the
Westerners?”

The
Oscars,
says
Muthu,
is
not
just
about
good
films.
It’s
also
about
lobbying.

Factors
like
the
financial
potential,
the
push,
the
background,
the
OTT
platform
it
will
be
streamed
on
come
into
play.

“If
you
keep
all
those
parameters
in
mind,
there
was
one
Tamil
film
and
one
Malayalam
film
called

Undercurrent
(Ullozhukku).
There’s
no
film
from
Karnataka
because
probably
they
didn’t
know
how
to
do
it.
It’s
a
matter
of
Rs
1
lakh
to
Rs
1.5
lakh
(Rs
100,000
to
Rs
150,000)
they
have
to
pay
to
enter.

“So
again,
I
have
to
state
clearly:
This
is
not
the
best
film
from
India.
This
is
the
best
film
out
of
29.
Not
the
most
eligible.
The
most
potentially
to
go
there
and
present
themselves.
And
it
should
appeal
to
the
Western
audience.”

The

Swantantrya
Veer
Savarkar
team
has
put
out
a
press
release
saying
they
will
take
their
film
to
the
Oscars.

“One
can
enter
the
Oscars
directly,
yes,”
Muthu
says.
“It
happens
each
year.
I
want
you
to
clarify
that.”

“All
We
Imagine
As
Light
is
a
French
film.
They
can
go
independently
like

Veer
Savarkar.
They
have
to
screen
their
film
in
a
theatre
for
at
least
seven
days;
they
just
released
the
film
in
a
theatre
for
a
day.

“Once
you
get
selected,
you
have
to
spend
money.

RRR
spent
Rs
13
crore
to
Rs
14
crore
(Rs
130
million
to
Rs
140
million)
just
for
that
song,

Naatu
Naatu.

“Producers
should
be
aware
of
how
to
enter
a
film
for
an
Oscar.
Everyone
thinks
that
the
Federation
will
automatically
choose
films.
That’s
wrong.
They
should
know
one
needs
to
pay
money,
and
anyone
can
apply.”

“This
year,
there
was
no
film
from
Karnataka,
no
film
from
Bengal.”

“A
list
of
jury
details
is
sent
to
the
Oscar
Academy,
where
they
review
the
credentials
and
shortlist
the
jury,”
explains
Muthu.
“It
is
not
the
Federation’s
selection.
People
from
different
categories
across
India
are
selected.”