Laapataa Ladies Chosen as India’s Oscar 2025 Submission for Its Indianness, Says Jury Head
Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies has been selected as India's official entry for the Oscars 2025. The film, praised by jury head Jahnu Barua, reflects the complexities of Indian society and highlights cultural significance, showcasing the nation's rich storytelling tradition.
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When India announced Kiran Rao's film Laapataa Ladies as its official entry for the Oscars 2025 social media erupted with reactions. Many users online voiced their disappointment that Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light, which had earned praise at Cannes, didn't cut. A 12-member jury headed by Assamese director Jahnu Barua made this decision and shed light on how they chose the film.
Barua discussed the selection procedure with The Indian Express. He clarified that selecting a film that captures the diversity of India's social makeup and spirit was the jury's primary task. He declared: "The film must reflect India's societal structures and ethos, and the jury must choose the best picture that portrays India overall. The Laapataa Ladies succeeded in showcasing their Indianness, which is significant. He emphasized that although there might be superior movies that weren't included in the 29-film selection, the jury still had the choice to select from the ones that were sent in.
"The official entry for the Oscars should be the film that best represents India," he continued. There could be a better movie than the 29 that are nominated. However, the jury can select from what is shown to them, correct?
Laapataa Ladies hit theaters in March 2024 marking Kiran Rao's second time in the director's chair after her well-received first film Dhobi Ghat. This movie blends humor and drama to tell the story of a young man whose bride gets mixed up with another woman by mistake. Ravi Kottakara, who heads the Film Federation of India (FFI), spoke to ETimes about how they picked the film. He explained, "Everyone on the jury has to choose the film. They liked 'Laapataa Ladies' and thought 'All We Imagine As Light' seemed more like a foreign film than an Indian one."
Kottakara shared more about what the jury thought. He said, "When they watched Laapataa Ladies, it showed them how tough life is for women in India. The movie shows women wearing the goonghat, which leads to all the mix-ups. They believed this kind of thing happens in India."