The Gujarati film “Chhello Show” has been nominated as India’s official entry for the upcoming edition of the Academy Awards, beating out both “RRR” and “The Kashmir Files” (The Last Film Show).
This Tuesday, the Film Federation of India made the official announcement.
Chhello Show (Last Film Show) is a semi-autobiographical drama that celebrates classic film while capturing the allure of western Gujarat.
The story of a little boy growing up in a small Saurashtrian village is a coming-of-age tale that honors the wonder of cinema and serves as a reminder of the purity of youth. The film stars Bhavin Rabari, Vikas Bata, Richa Meena, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval, and Rahul Koli.
This film is set against the backdrop of India’s cinemas undergoing a dramatic shift from celluloid to digital, where hundreds of single-screen theatres remain derelict or have disappeared entirely.
This movie has been selected to represent India at the 95th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. The Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 12, 2024.
Also in October 2021, Chhello Show took home the Golden Spike at the 66th Valladolid International Film Festival.
India’s Oscar Nominee “Chhello Show”
No Indian film has ever won an Academy Award. In 2001, Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan, starring Aamir Khan, was the last Indian film to make it to the best international feature category’s final five. Mother India (1958) and Salaam Bombay (1964) are the other two Indian films to make the top five (1989).
Regarding Chhello Show being India’s Oscar entry for 2024, director Pan Nalin stated, “I could have never imagined such a day would brightness and celebration of light. Chhello Show has been enjoying adoration from around the world but there was an ache in my heart how do I make India discover it? Now I can breathe again and have faith in cinema that entertains, motivates, and enlightens! Thank you FFI, Thank you Jury.”
Producer TP Aggarwal, president of the Film Federation of India, claims that the Gujarati film directed by Pan Nalin was a “unanimous” choice among the jury, with even more well-known films like RRR and The Kashmir Files now been passed over in favor of Chhello Show (Last Film Show) for India’s 2024 Oscar entry.
This movie fought over some real competition
The film triumphed over other nominees such as “RRR” by S.S. Rajamouli, “The Kashmir Files” by Vivek Agnihotri, “Malayankunju” by Sajimon Prabhakar, and “Shyam Singha Roy” by Rahul Sankrityan.
According to TP Aggarwal, Chhello Show was chosen by a panel of 17 film industry experts with varying perspectives. Competition for the Gujarati film included the likes of Brahmastra, which starred Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, RRR, directed by SS Rajamouli, Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, starring Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar, and Anek, which starred Ayushmann Khurana.
“Chhello Show was a unanimous decision by the jury. Out of the 17, all of them agreed that we need this film. Since we are never inside, the jury entirely made this choice. They said it is an Indian film that should go (for Oscar),” the president stated.
The Kashmir Files and RRR were both mentioned as possible nominees for India in the Best International Feature Film category, with the latter receiving more attention in the West.
Since its streaming debut on Netflix, the SS Rajamouli epic has gained a devoted international following amongst filmmakers, critics, and fans of all stripes who have taken notice of the director’s extraordinary taste for the fantastical in his storytelling.
As part of his effort to improve RRR’s Oscar chances, director SS Rajamouli even attended many screenings in the US and spoke to the audience. Nevertheless, according to Aggarwal, the jury was not unanimous.
The jury was comprised of professionals from the film industry, including TS Nagabharana (chairman), Sangeeth Sivan (filmmaker), Jatin Pandit (music composer), Nikhat Mariyam Neerushaa (costume designer), Anjan Bose (producer), Mandar Kamalapurkar (sound recordist), and Prateek Gupta (editor).
The first public screening of Chhello Show took place at Robert DeNiro’s Tribeca Film Festival. On October 14, the film will debut in theatres across Gujarat and in several other cities in India. The film was co-produced by Chhello Show LLP, Marc Duale, and Roy Kapur Films, Jugaad Motion Pictures, Monsoon Films, and Marc Kapur.
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