Two for joy!: Jai Bhim, Marakkar make it to Oscars ‘submission list’

Two Indian films — Tamil film Jai Bhim, starring Suriya and Lijomol Jose, and Priyadarshan’s Malayalam period drama Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea), with Mohanlal playing the titular character — are on the list of 276 movies eligible for this year’s Academy Awards.

The voting for the Oscar nominations is set to begin on January 27, and it will continue until February 1.

All of the presumed Oscar contenders are on the list. These include Being the Ricardos (Amazon Studios), Belfast (Focus Features), CODA (Apple Original Films), Dune (Warner Bros), Encanto (Walt Disney Pictures), House of Gucci (MGM/United Artists), The Power of the Dog (Netflix), A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount Pictures), Spencer (Neon/Topic Studios), Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony Pictures) and West Side Story (20th Century Studios).

Some of the international features from the Oscar shortlist are also eligible for best picture, in addition to the best international feature category, such as Japan’s much-awarded Drive My Car, Italy’s The Hand of God, Iran’s A Hero and Norway’s The Worst Person in the World.

Directed by Priyadarshan, Marakkar is one of the most expensive films in the history of Malayalam cinema. It narrates the epic tale of Kunjali Marakkar IV, a Malabar sea lord and his epic battles against the Portuguese. The movie had won three National Awards — Best Feature Film, Best Special Effects and Best Costume Design.

Jai Bhim, which raised the hackles of the PMK, a political party in Tamil Nadu that represents mainly the Vanniyar community, is based on a true incident. The nominations will be announced on February 8. — IANS