Was Laapata Ladies the Right Choice for the Oscars?

Kiran Rao's film Laapata Ladies, which was India’s official entry for the Oscars, has unfortunately been eliminated from the race. Despite being sent as India’s official entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category, the film did not make it to the final 15 films shortlisted for the category. While it received critical acclaim and was appreciated by audiences in India, it failed to make a lasting impression at the international level.

Soon after Laapata Ladies was dropped from the Oscars race, several people raised questions about the selection process, questioning whether it was the right film to represent India.

Laapata Ladies is the Wrong Choice - Ricky Kej

Renowned music composer Ricky Kej expressed his disappointment openly, calling Laapata Ladies a "wrong choice" for India’s Oscars entry.

Active on social media, Ricky shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter) along with the film's poster. He wrote, “When will we realize… year after year… we are choosing the wrong films? So many amazing films have been made, and we should be winning the International Feature Film category every year!”

So, the @TheAcademy Oscars shortlist is out. #LaapataaLadies is a very well made, entertaining movie (I enjoyed it), but was absolutely the wrong choice to represent India for the best #InternationalFeatureFilm category. As expected, it lost.
When are we going to realize.. year… pic.twitter.com/iWGpSXY1KD

— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) December 18, 2024

He went on to say, “Unfortunately, we remain stuck in the 'mainstream Bollywood' bubble, where we can’t look beyond films that entertain us. Instead, we should be focusing on films made by filmmakers who don’t compromise on their art… whether it’s a low-budget film or a big-budget one… with stars or without… just excellent artistic cinema. I’m sure most of the Academy voters must have rejected this film after watching it.”

Hansal Mehta

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta also criticized the Film Federation of India (FFI) for its choice of Laapata Ladies as India’s official entry. He wrote, “The Film Federation of India has done it again! Their strike rate and the selection of films year after year is unmatched.”

Film Federation of India does it again! Their strike rate and selection of films year after year is impeccable. pic.twitter.com/hiwmatzDbW

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) December 17, 2024

Some critics have also suggested that All We Imagine as Light, a Cannes-winning film and a Golden Globe nominee, would have been a better choice for the Oscars. Many felt it was a more appropriate candidate for India’s official entry to the Academy Awards.

The Reaction from FFI’s Jury

The Film Federation of India’s (FFI) 13-member jury, chaired by renowned filmmaker Jahnu Barua, unanimously selected Laapata Ladies as India’s official entry. However, some cinephiles and critics questioned why All We Imagine as Light by Payal Kapadia, which had already garnered international acclaim, was not chosen.

In response to the criticism, Jahnu Barua stated, “Our jury unanimously chose Laapata Ladies because it is rich in Indian ethos and contains all the right elements that represent our culture.”

Now, with Laapata Ladies failing to fulfill the hopes of many Indians, it seems that there is some merit in the concerns raised by Ricky Kej and Hansal Mehta. Their voices reflect a deeper discussion about the selection process and the importance of choosing films that resonate both artistically and culturally on the global stage.