95th Academy Awards are announced, and India got shortlisted in four categories.
The 95th Academy Awards announced the 10 categories’ shortlisted for the upcoming Oscars in 2024. The Gujarati language feature film Chhello Show (The Last Show) by Pan Nalini and the track Naatu Naatu from SS Rajamouli’s RRR have been nominated from India in the International Feature Film Category and the Best Original Song Category, respectively.
The short documentary The Elephant Whisperers by Kartiki Gonsalves and the documentary feature All That Breathes by Shaunak Sen also have been nominated for the Documentary Feature Film category from India.
The Best Feature Film list included 15 international feature films from 92 countries. Apart from India’s Chhello Show, Belgium’s Close, South Korea’s Decision to Leave, Germany’s All Quiet on the Western Front, Mexico’s Bardo, Argentina’s Argentina, 1985, and Pakistan’s Joyland were shortlisted in this category.
Soon after the announcement the director Pan Nalini and the producers of Chhello Show released a joint statement celebrating this historic moment. “We are humbled and overjoyed that our heartfelt ode to the cinematic medium Last Film Show (Chhello Show) has been recognized by the world’s preeminent awards body, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Ever since our selection by the Film Federation of India as India’s Official Entry to the 95th Oscars, we knew in our hearts that the film was bound for something special.
We would like to thank the FFI, the millions of people who watched and admired the Chhello Show, as well as our international distributors who gave the film a well-deserved push. This is a historic moment for India and we hope to bring the Oscar home very soon,” their statement read.
RRR, which was made available worldwide in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, has applied for consideration in various Oscar categories. There are several memorable pieces of music from popular films released this year on the shortlist for the Best Original Song award.
Along with the rhythmic dance number from RRR, Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength) from Avatar: The Way of Water, Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick, Ciao Papa from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and Carolina from Where the Crawdads Sing is shortlisted in this category.
Other than The Elephant Whisperers, American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton; Anastasia; Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices from a Plantation Prison; As Far as They Can Run; The Flagmakers; Happiness Is £4 Million; Haulout; Holding Moses; How Do You Measure a Year?; The Martha Mitchell Effect; Nuisance Bear; Shut Up and Paint; Stranger at the Gate; and 38 at the Garden are shortlisted in the category of Documentary Short Film.
Whereas, in the category of Documentary Feature Films other than All That Breathes, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed; Bad Axe; Children of the Mist; Descendant; Fire of Love; Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song; Hidden Letters; A House Made of Splinters; The Janes; Last Flight Home; Moonage Daydream; Navalny; Retrograde; The Territory are shortlisted.
In the past several years, India has submitted the following films for the Oscars: Koozhangal, Jallikattu, Gully Boy, Village Rockstars, Newton, and Visaranani, none of these films were shortlisted for the Oscars. Mother India, Lagaan, and Salaam Bombay are the only Indian movies that have received Oscar nominations thus far.
Next year, on March 12, the 95th Oscars will be held live in Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre. For the third time, the famous talk show host Jimmy Kimmel will serve as the event’s host.
