Laapataa Ladies Fails To Secure Spot In Oscars 2025 Shortlist For Best International Feature

"Laapataa Ladies," India's official submission for the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards, has not advanced to the next stage. Directed by Kiran Rao, this Hindi film did not make it to the shortlist of 15 films that will compete for a nomination, as announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on Wednesday.

Sandhya Suri's "Santosh," featuring Indian actors Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, representing the UK, has been shortlisted. Other films in the list include France's "Emilia Perez," Brazil's "I'm Still Here," Canada's "Universal Language," Czech Republic's "Waves," Denmark's "The Girl with the Needle," and Germany's "The Seed of the Sacred Fig." Additional contenders are Iceland's "Touch," Ireland's "Kneecap," Italy's "Vermiglio," Latvia's "Flow," Norway's "Armand," Palestine's "From Ground Zero," Senegal's "Dahomey," and Thailand's "How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies."

The Academy received submissions from 85 countries or regions for consideration in this category. Known as "Lost Ladies" in English, this film is a subtly subversive feminist drama set in rural India during the early 2000s. Sneha Desai crafted its screenplay and dialogues based on a story by Biplab Goswami, with additional dialogues by Divyanidhi Sharma.

The narrative of "Laapataa Ladies" revolves around two brides who accidentally switch places on their wedding day while traveling by train. Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta portray Phool and Jaya, respectively, with Sparsh Shrivastav playing the confused groom searching for his bride. The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was released in theatres on March 1 to positive reviews. It is produced by Kindling Productions, Aamir Khan Productions, and Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios.

In September, the Film Federation of India (FFI) selected "Laapataa Ladies" as India's official Oscar entry from a pool of 29 films. This list included Bollywood hit "Animal," Malayalam National Award winner "Aattam," and Cannes winner "All We Imagine As Light." The FFI faced criticism on social media for their citation about the film. Many felt it contradicted the film’s intended message. The citation stated: "Indian women are a strange mixture of submission and dominance. Well-defined, powerful characters in one world, a Laapataa Ladies (Hindi) captures this diversity perfectly, though in a semi-idyllic world and in a tongue-in-cheek way." Last month, a new poster was released with its English title as part of its awards campaign.

The cast also includes Chhaya Kadam, Ravi Kishan, and Geeta Agrawal Sharma. Historically, only three Indian films have reached the top five nominations in this category: "Lagaan" in 2002, "Mother India," starring Nargis, and Mira Nair’s "Salaam Bombay!"

Recent Oscar Wins

Last year saw success for Indian cinema at the Oscars with "Naatu Naatu" from SS Rajamouli’s Telugu film "RRR" winning Best Original Song. Additionally, "The Elephant Whisperers," directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment, won Best Documentary Short Film.

The Oscar nominations will be revealed on January 17. Conan O'Brien will host the ceremony on March 2 at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.