The race for Oscar begins... : The Tribune India

Join Whatsapp Channel

The race for Oscar begins...

Indians love aspirational stories,” said the popular author Jeffrey Archer on his recent visit to India.

The race for Oscar begins...


Mona

Indians love aspirational stories,” said the popular author Jeffrey Archer on his recent visit to India. As one such aspirational story is chosen to be India’s official entry to the Oscars, would the world sit back and take notice? 

While Indian cinema enjoys being the world’s largest film industry, but an Academy Award is still elusive. Gully Boy, a story from Mumbai’s slums to success, won the audience and also netted a business of approximately $37 million worldwide. The film, inspired from rappers Divine and Naezy, is the official entry to the 92nd Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film Category. 

India’s Oscars records, however, are pretty lacklustre. Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, formerly Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, is one category that was incorporated in 1956. From 1957, a year after the incorporation of the category, India’s been sending largely Hindi films, with a few in regional languages in between. Only three have made the cut. 

Starting with Mother India 

Call it beginner’s luck, the very first entry Mother India starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt and Raj Kumar became the very first Indian movie to make the final five in the Best Foreign Language Film. It lost to Italian drama The Nights of Cabiria, a story set in Rome about a prostitute’s hopeless search for love.

India had to wait for three decades to win this distinction, when Salaam Bombay got nominated. Helmed by Mira Nair, this one has children living in the slums of Mumbai. It lost to Danish immigration story Pelle the Conqueror. 

When Lagaan won & lost 

Turn of the century worked in favour as Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India made it to the top five in 2001. Aamir Khan’s magnum opus at three hours 45 minutes retold the Indian British struggle with cricket taking on the centre stage. But then alas, it lost to war drama No Man’s Land that has, for its plot, two soldiers from Bosnia and Herzegovina conflict.

Directed by Zoya Akhtar, Gully Boy is the Film Federation of India’s choice to try out its luck at the coveted Awards and has Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in lead roles. The team Gully Boy, however, is enthused about the first one...

From the horse’s mouth   

Gully Boy echoed the voice of the streets; it will always be one of my most personal films. As always, I will keep striving towards making the flag of Hindi cinema fly high. I’m very happy that the passionate hard work that our cast and crew put into creating Gully Boy is reaping rewards. It’s a proud moment for our entire team. I’m especially proud of and happy for Zoya. Gully Boy is her (Tiger) baby, and I am blessed to have been a part of her maverick vision. With the love and support of our beloved audience, we’re hoping to make a  mark. - Ranveer Singh 

The team rejoices 

Gully Boy as a film is really special to me. What’s even more special is that it has had such a long run - after releasing, it won at the Melbourne Film Festival, then it was also shown in Japan. Now, it’s been selected as India’s official entry for the Academy. So, hereon, I just hope, pray and wish that we make it to the nomination and win. This is a first and it’s a big deal for us. As a team, we are very excited. - Alia Bhatt

Top News

High alert across Uttar Pradesh after gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's death

High alert across Uttar Pradesh after gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's death

Umar Ansari alleged that his father was subjected to slow po...

Mukhtar Ansari was subjected to slow poisoning in jail: Son

Mukhtar Ansari was subjected to slow poisoning in jail: Son

Ansari's post-mortem to be conducted in UP by panel of five ...

10 killed as SUV falls into gorge in J-K’s Ramban

10 people killed after SUV falls into gorge in J-K’s Ramban

The vehicle, a Tavera, was on its way from Srinagar to Jammu


Cities

View All