The countdown to the 97th Academy Awards has officially begun, and the buzz just got bigger for Indian cinema! Among the 323 feature films eligible for this year’s Oscars, seven Indian gems have found a spot on the prestigious list for the coveted Best Picture category. And here’s the headliner – Bobby Deol’s Kanguva has made it, sparking equal parts excitement and surprise among fans and critics alike.
From Box Office Dud to Oscars Contender: Kanguva’s Curious Journey
While Kanguva bombed at the box office with a ?106 crore collection against its massive ?300-350 crore budget, it’s now creating waves as an Oscar contender. Starring Suriya, Bobby Deol, and Disha Patani, this Tamil-language spectacle took the OTT route soon after its theatrical release. And despite its commercial failure, the Academy seems to have found something special in it. What that is? We’ll leave it to the film critics to decode.
Meet the Indian Line-Up: Diverse, Dynamic, and Dreamy
India’s Oscars 2025 contenders bring a vibrant mix of stories and languages to the global stage:
Kanguva (Tamil)
Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) (Hindi)
Santosh (Hindi)
Swatantrya Veer Savarkar (Hindi)
All We Imagine as Light (Malayalam-Hindi)
Girls Will Be Girls (Hindi-English)
Putul (Bengali)
Each of these films represents a unique slice of Indian storytelling, ranging from historical epics to intimate narratives about human connections.
India’s Official Entry: Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies
While these seven films are turning heads, Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies was India’s official entry for Best International Feature Film. Sadly, the movie didn’t make it to the final shortlist. Despite the snub, the film has already won hearts back home and proven Kiran Rao’s prowess as a storyteller.
What’s Next? Key Dates to Mark
The Oscars race is heating up! Here’s what’s on the horizon:
Nomination voting: January 8–12, 2025
Final nominations announcement: January 17, 2025
Oscars night: March 2, 2025, at the iconic Dolby Theatre, Hollywood
Bollywood Meets Hollywood – Who’s Rooting for India?
While the Oscars remain a tough battlefield, the inclusion of these films is a moment of pride for Indian cinema. Whether it’s the lavish yet polarizing Kanguva or the subtle brilliance of All We Imagine as Light, Indian stories are finally making noise on the global stage.
So, what do you think? Will India bag another Oscar? Or is this another almost-there year?
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Also Read: No Oscars for Laapataa Ladies: Aamir Khan’s Film Out of 2025 Race, Industry Voices Disappointment
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