Why does India lag in the Oscars race? Let's try to understand.
Every year, when the Oscars come around, Indians start asking the same question - why do our films keep missing out? Of course, the Oscars are primarily an American award (not an international film festival, unlike Cannes or Berlin), and making it there isn’t the ultimate mark of a great film. But we’re not talking about Best Picture or Best Director here. Even in the Best International Feature Film category (dedicated to the films produced outside the United States, with a predominantly non-English dialogue track), India has secured only three nominations so far - 'Mother India' in 1957, 'Salaam Bombay!' in 1989, and 'Lagaan' in 2002 - let alone winning one.
Well, it’s not that we don’t make good films. The problem, however, is that we often pick the wrong ones as our official entries. Simply being a good film is not enough (honestly, that's a given when we talk about such awards). More than a film's merit, what truly matters is the kind of international buzz a film creates, whether through the festival circuit or the global film market. So, while we can always debate over which film is better in terms of merit, it’s usually clear which one has a stronger shot at the Oscars.
So, as we look ahead to the 97th Academy Awards on March 3, 2025, let’s revisit some of those instances where India may have picked the wrong films for the Oscars. And just to be clear - I have nothing against the official entries or the jury (FFI) behind them.
Back in 1998, S. Shankar's romantic comedy, 'Jeans', was India's official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was the most expensive Indian film at that time and was a critical and commercial success here. But that year, Mani Ratnam's 'Dil Se' was a far stronger contender, in every possible way. First of all, Ratnam had already gained a reputation worldwide as a filmmaker, while Shah Rukh Khan's popularity in the US was a bonus. On the other hand, the film received massive success at various international film festivals and even won the Netpac Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. Moreover, it was a commercial success in the US and the UK as well, meaning it was easy to market to the Academy as well.
Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Dil Se’
The year 2005 saw tough competition for India’s official Oscar entry, but the jury surprised many by selecting ‘Paheli’ over films like ‘Swades’ and ‘Black’. While Amol Palekar’s ‘Paheli’ was a well-made film and even screened at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, it definitely was behind the other contenders in terms of both merit and marketing.
'Swades' had a much stronger shot, especially because its director, Ashutosh Gowariker, was already popular in the Academy circle at the time, thanks to the Oscar nomination of his previous film, 'Lagaan'. Also, its subject and treatment suited the American tastes better.
Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukerji in ‘Black’
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Black' was inspired by the life of Helen Keller, and hence could have resonated more strongly with the Academy jury. Whether it's Bhansali's distinct filmmaking style, the unparalleled emotional depth, or the high production value - it had everything that the jury would love.
'The Lunchbox' had a sure shot at the Oscars in 2013 - everyone believed it, except the FFI jury. The film was not only a great piece of art, but also had a big US distributor - Sony Pictures Classic. It received widespread critical acclaim, with many calling it "THE INDIAN FILM OF THE YEAR". And it was screened at Critics' Week at the Cannes Film Festival and later won the Critics' Week Viewers Choice Award (also known as Grand Rail d'Or). At the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, it received a standing ovation as well.
Irrfan in ‘The Lunchbox’
However, India picked the Gujarati film 'The Good Road' as its official submission for the Oscars that year.
A still from ‘The Good Road’
As Oscar-winning filmmaker Guneet Monga said in an interview, "'The Lunchbox' would have been nominated for an Oscar if India sent it."
There's no doubt that 'Gully Boy' - directed by Zoya Akhtar - is a well-made film. Having said that, there's also no doubt that 'Tumbbad' is a far superior film that had a bigger shot at the Oscars in 2019. The Sohum Shah-starrer, directed by Rahi Anil Barve, premiered in the critics' week section of the 75th Venice International Film Festival - the first Indian film to be screened there. Besides that, it received love at international film festivals, such as Fantastic Fest, Sitges Film Festival, the Scream Fest Horror Film Festival, the El Gouna Film Festival, the International Film Festival of Kerala, Mórbido Fest, Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, and Nitte International Film Festival.
It's also worth noting that 'Gully Boy' shared thematic similarities with several American films, including '8 Mile', making it unlikely to stand out at the Oscars.
Lijo Jose Pellissery's 'Jallikattu' was a good choice as India's Oscar entry in 2020, as it was well-accepted at international film festivals like Toronto and Busan. But without an iota of doubt, Chaitanya Tamhane's 'The Disciple' had a far greater chance that year.
A still from 'The Disciple'
'The Disciple' had Alfonso Cuarón - a celebrated Mexican filmmaker with four Academy Awards, seven BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards to his name - as its executive producer, meaning it already had that marketing boost at the Oscars. Also, it entered the main competition section at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, becoming the first Indian film since 'Monsoon Wedding' to compete at the festival, where it won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize (presented by the International Federation of Film Critics) and the Best Screenplay award. It was also screened at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the Amplify Voices Award.
I'm sure you remember how 'RRR' took the entire world by storm in 2022. And that's why almost everyone was certain that the SS Rajamouli film would secure at least a nomination - if not a win - at the Oscars, had India sent it as its official entry. As filmmaker Anurag Kashyap put it in an interview with Galatta Plus, "The West sees 'RRR' differently than how we see it - they find it better than any Marvel film. If 'RRR' becomes India's selection, it has a 99% chance for a nomination."
Ram Charan and NTR Jr. in ‘RRR’
India decided to go with 'Chhello Show', which got shortlisted but wasn't nominated. 'RRR' entered the Oscars as an individual submission and went on to win the Best Original Song award for "Naatu Naatu". While we can’t say for sure if it would have won had it been India’s official entry for Best International Feature, it certainly had a stronger chance.
Any film that is an international co-production has a great chance at the Oscars, thanks to its wider visibility. 'All We Imagine as Light' - directed by Payal Kapadia - fell into this category. When the film won the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, it was almost certain that it would be picked as India's official entry for the Oscars.
'All We Imagine as Light' went on to win big at several other international film festivals, but failed to win the hearts of the FFI jury. They chose 'Laapataa Ladies' instead, a decision that garnered controversy.
India has selected ‘Laapataa Ladies’ as its official entry for the ‘Best Foreign Film’ category at the 97th Academy Awards.
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) September 23, 2024
The film, released earlier this year, explores the themes of gender equality and women’s empowerment in rural India.
Music Courtesy - @TSeries… pic.twitter.com/odtk81hJ7H
(Credit: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting)
Right after the announcement, filmmaker Devashish Makhija (of 'Ajji', 'Bhonsle', and 'Joram' fame) wrote on social media, "The Oscars are not about what we think is the most successful film domestically, but the film that put that country on the world map. I cannot remember a country in the recent past NOT sending in a Cannes top prize winner as their official entry."
