The Academy Awards, one of the most prestigious accolades in global cinema, honour excellence in filmmaking across a range of categories, including the Best International Feature Film. Every year, countries from around the world submit their best films in the hopes of securing a coveted nomination.
For the Oscars 2025, India’s official entry is Kiran Rao’s directorial Laapataa Ladies, a film that will represent the nation in the highly competitive Best International Feature Film category.
On Monday, the Film Federation of India officially announced the selection of Laapataa Ladies, which triumphed over 29 feature films submitted from different regions and languages of India.
This diversity speaks to the rich and varied cinematic landscape of the country, which ranges from regional independent films to mainstream Bollywood blockbusters.
Among the films Laapataa Ladies edged out were several high-profile productions, including Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal, a much-anticipated action thriller, and Kalki 2898 AD, the futuristic sci-fi epic starring Prabhas and Deepika Padukone.
National Award-winning films such as Aattam, and All We Imagine As Light, which won accolades at the Cannes Film Festival, were also in the mix, highlighting the caliber of the competition.
Several other Hindi-language films were vying for this prestigious honor. Ajay Devgn’s sports drama Maidaan, which tells the story of Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, Kartik Aaryan’s inspiring biopic Chandu Champion, and Yami Gautam’s politically charged thriller Article 370 were among the films considered.
Other notable contenders included Randeep Hooda’s Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, a biopic on the controversial freedom fighter, Rajkummar Rao’s Srikanth, a gripping crime thriller, and Sam Bahadur, a biopic of India’s celebrated Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, starring Vicky Kaushal. Films like Joram featuring Manoj Bajpayee, and action-packed titles like Kill and Good Luck added further variety to the list.
The Telugu film industry also had a strong presence, submitting three films—Kalki 2898 AD, Mangalavaaram, and the critically acclaimed superhero film Hanu-Man—demonstrating the industry’s increasing influence in India’s cinematic output.
Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, a satirical examination of patriarchy set against the backdrop of rural India, carries the potential to resonate with global audiences. Its selection as India’s entry not only highlights the country’s commitment to diverse storytelling but also positions it as a strong contender for a potential Oscar nomination.
With its unique narrative and cinematic quality, the film is expected to make waves on the international stage, raising hopes that India might once again earn a spot among the nominees at the prestigious Academy Awards.
