Laapataa Ladies: Aamir Khan Productions In Spotlight As Banner's 4th Film Enters Academy Awards Race

Laapataa Ladies At Oscars: The Kiran Rao directorial has been submitted as India's official entry for Oscars 2024. The Film Federation of India chose the drama film over 29 others that were in consideration including Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal and National Award Winning film Aattam. Interestingly, the film continues the long legacy of Aamir Khan Productions to be shortlisted for the Academy Awards. Previously Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par and Peepli Live, all produced by the banner, were submitted as India's official entry to the Oscars with Lagaan even bagging a nomination. 

Aamir Khan Productions and its legacy at the Oscars 

Laapataa Ladies is directed by Kiran Rao and is bankrolled by Aamir Khan Productions. The film features Pratiba Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Shrivastava and Ravi Kishan in major roles. The 13-member select committee headed by Assamese director Jahnu Barua unanimously decided on Laapataa Ladies, produced by Aamir Khan and Rao, for reckoning in the best international film category at the Academy Awards.

Interestingly, the movie has become the fourth film from Aamir Khan’s production house, Aamir Khan Productions to have been submitted as India’s official entry by the Film Federation of India. It all started with the Aamir Khan-starrer Lagaan which was not just sent as India’s official entry to the Oscars but also secured a place in the final nominations. It was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards, and became the third Indian film to be nominated in the category after Mother India, and Salaam Bombay, though it did not win the award. 

It was after Lagaan’s loss at the Oscars that Aamir completely lost his faith in awards, and stopped attending any award ceremony following his heartbreak and disappointment. Then came Taare Zameen Par (2007), which marked Aamir’s directorial debut. The film, a psychological drama, tells the story of a dyslexic kid who is taken under the wings by Aamir’s character of Ram Shankar Nikumbh, an art teacher as the latter realises his true potential. The film was selected as India's entry to the foreign language category for the Oscars at the 81st annual Academy Awards, however did not make it to the final nominations. 

 

This was followed by the 2010 film Peepli Live. The satirical comedy film was also produced under the actor's banner and marked the directorial debut of Anusha Rizvi. The movie was India's official entry for the 83rd Academy Awards Best Foreign Film category although it was not nominated. 
 

It needs to be noted that Laapataa Ladies has only been shortlisted as India's official entry to the Oscars and this does not guarantee the film's nomination at the Academy Awards. The director of the film takes home the trophy in case a film emerges victorious in the Best International Feature Film category. 

How Aamir Khan reacted to Lagaan being snubbed at Oscars 2002 

While the actor had shared that he was ‘disappointed’ when the film did not win the Academy Awards, he acknowledged that just to be able to get nominated in the top 5 was a matter of pride. In a 2021 media interview, Aamir shared, "I often get asked, ‘how disappointed were you for not winning the Oscar’? Of course, I was disappointed. I would have liked to win. Many have asked me if the songs and length of the film was an issue for the Academy members? The fact that the film was nominated and was in the top five, says that the members loved it. It’s not easy to be nominated."

Laapataa Ladies, a light-hearted satire on patriarchy, was chosen from a list of 29 films, including the Bollywood hit Animal, Malayalam National Award winner Aattam and Cannes winner All We Imagine As Light. Tamil film Maharaja, Telugu titles Kalki 2898 AD and Hanu-Man, as well as the Hindi films Swatantraya Veer Savarkar and Article 370 were also on the list. Malayalam superhit 2018: Everyone is a Hero was sent last year.

(With inputs from agencies)