Laapataa Ladies Selected as India’s Official Entry for Oscars 2025

September 23, 2024: In a significant development for Indian cinema, Kiran Rao’s film Laapataa Ladies has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Academy Awards. The announcement was made by the Film Federation of India on Monday.

Laapataa Ladies, a witty satire addressing patriarchy, was chosen from a comPetitive field of 29 films, including the Bollywood hit Animal, the National Award-winning Malayalam film Aattam, and the Cannes-acclaimed All We Imagine As Light. The decision was reached unanimously by a 13-member committee led by noted Assamese director Jahnu Barua, who praised the film's engaging storytelling and its cultural significance.

Produced by Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao, the film stands out for its unique approach to serious themes through humor and relatability. The selection highlights a growing recognition of diverse narratives in Indian cinema.

Other notable contenders included Tamil film Maharaja, Telugu titles Kalki 2898 AD and Hanu-Man, as well as Hindi films Swatantraya Veer Savarkar and Article 370. Despite the stiff comPetition, Laapataa Ladies garnered unanimous support from the committee.