Kiran Rao hopes ‘Laapataa Ladies’ is picked as India’s Oscar entry


PTI, Sep 20, 2024, 4:08 PM IST

Image Credit: IMDb

Filmmaker Kiran Rao says she hopes her film “Laapataa Ladies” will be considered for India’s official entry at the 2025 Academy Awards.

It is the filmmaker’s long-cherished dream that her film would represent the country at the Oscar stage. At the same time, Rao said the Film Federation of India (FFI) will pick the best film.

“My dream would be fulfilled if it was, if it would go (to Oscars). But it’s a process, and I’m hoping it’ll (Laapataa Ladies) be considered. I’m sure the best film will go, whoever they choose in the scheme of things,” Rao told PTI. “Laapataa Ladies” is a heartwarming and empowering take on two brides in rural India in 2001 who accidently get swapped during a train journey. The film is produced by Rao’s Kindling Productions and Aamir Khan Productions.

The film, which was released in March this year to universal praise from the critics, features Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta and Sparsh Shrivastav in the lead roles alongside Ravi Kishan, Chhaya Kadam and Geeta Aggarwal Sharma.

Rao on Thursday attended film institute Whistling Woods International’s “Celebrate Cinema 2024” along with writer Sneha Desai and Goel.

The filmmaker said she feels overwhelmed by the love coming her way for the movie.

“They’ve picked up all the little nuances and every single detail. It’s really so heartening and rewarding to a filmmaker when there’s that kind of love. It’s not just (limited to) ‘it’s a good film and you carry on’,” she said.

The critically-acclaimed film aims to promote the idea of gender equality in the rural space of India as well as emphasises women education and empowerment.

Last month, both Rao and Khan attended a special screening of the film at the Supreme Court of India. The screening was organised for judges, their families and officials.

“It’s the vision and foresight of our chief justice to screen a film like this for staff and for justices to start conversations on gender parity, gender equality, women’s empowerment. The fact that he watched the film and reached out to us, we couldn’t believe it. We were so grateful and excited.

“It really gave us a chance to take this film to a wider consciousness and audience because the Supreme Court and the chief justice himself have in some way endorsed the film or put their goodwill into promoting the film in their circle. It really made or did a lot for our film, even for audiences as they felt that, ‘wow, there’s merit in watching this film’. It really helped our film even get out further,” she said.

Rao, who assisted on films such as “Monsoon Wedding”, “Lagaan” and “Swades”, made her debut as a filmmaker with 2011’s “Dhobi Ghat”, featuring Aamir Khan, Prateik Babbar, Monica Dogra and Kriti Malhotra.

Asked if she wants the film to re-release in theatres, given the ongoing trend of old hits and classics returning to cinema halls, Rao said she wouldn’t mind it as she believes that audiences have opened to arthouse cinema today.

“It would be lovely to see it again because when I made it and when it was released, it was a very different time. People were not very exposed to, in that sense, unusual arthouse cinema. So, what the audiences think of it now would be nice to see,” the filmmaker said.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Veteran Himachal BJP leader Kishan Kapoor dies at 73; CM, governor pay tribute

India wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha retires from all forms of cricket

Karnataka ‘naxal free’ with last surrender on Feb 1: Police

Mangaluru: Goonda Act invoked against Bharath Shetty; placed under preventive detention

Budget 2025: Imported life saving drugs, medicines to become cheaper

Karnataka got ‘khaali chombu’ in this union budget: CM Siddaramaiah

BJP leaders hail Union Budget, call it blueprint of PM Modi’s vision for ‘Viksit Bharat’

Related Articles More

Akshay Kumar’s ‘Sky Force’ crosses Rs 100 crore mark at the box office

Want to make Ghajini 2 with Aamir Khan, says producer Allu Aravind

‘Middle Class Family’: A humorous take on dreams, struggles, and love

Controversy over Mamta Kulkarni as Mahamandaleshwar, seer opposes inclusion in Kinnar Akhara

Saif stabbing case: Facial recognition test confirms accused’s face matches CCTV footage, say cops

MUST WATCH

Mantralaya Sri

SDM Hospital

Brinjal Cultivation

Exposing Cow Violence Happening Everywhere

Udupi Sri Krishna Temple

Latest Additions

Union Budget: Railways allotted Rs 2.52 lakh crore

Rohit and Virat have massive role to play in Champions Trophy: Gambhir

Rahul claims Union Budget favours the rich

Karnataka govt forms panel to probe land encroachment in Ramanagara

Budget neglects challenges facing Indian economy: Left parties

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.