Mumbai: Filmmaker Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies has been selected as India's official entry for the Oscars 2025 in the Best Foreign Film category, as announced by the Film Federation of India. Expressing her gratitude, Rao said she was "deeply honoured and beyond delighted" by the selection and described the recognition as a testament to her team's hard work and dedication.
In a post shared on Instagram, Rao wrote, "I am deeply honoured and beyond delighted that our film Laapataa Ladies has been chosen as India's official entry to the Academy Awards. This recognition is a testament to the tireless work of my entire team, whose dedication and passion brought this story to life."
Rao emphasised the power of cinema to connect people across cultures and ignite important conversations. "Cinema has always been a powerful medium to connect hearts, transcend boundaries, and ignite meaningful conversations. I hope that this film will resonate with audiences across the world, just as it has in India," she added.
"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the selection committee and to everyone who believed in this film. It is indeed a great privilege to be selected from among such amazing Indian films this year that are equally worthy contenders for this honour," she wrote.
The film was contending alongside 28 films including names such as Animal, Kill, Kalki 2898 AD, Srikanth, Chandu Champion, Joram, Maidaan, Sam Bahadur, Article 370, the Malayalam film Aattam, which was feted with the National Award for Best Feature Film this year and Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light, a Cannes winner.
"It is indeed a great privilege to be selected from among such amazing Indian films this year, who are equally worthy contenders for this honour," she said. She went on to thank Aamir Khan Productions and Jio Studios for their unwavering support and faith in this vision.
"It has been a privilege to work alongside such a passionate and talented team of professionals who shared my commitment to telling this story. I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire cast and crew, whose immense talent, dedication, and hard work made this film possible. This journey has been one of incredible collaboration and growth," she said.
She added, "To the audience, your love and support mean the world to us, and it is your belief in this film that continues to inspire us as filmmakers to push creative boundaries. Thank you once again for this incredible honour. We look forward to taking this journey ahead with great enthusiasm."
The film, a comedy-drama about two brides separated from their grooms on a train journey, was released in March 2024. With a blend of mistaken identities and laugh-out-loud moments, Laapataa Ladies captivated Indian audiences and has now earned the opportunity to reach global viewers.
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