Los Angeles [US], December 18: Kiran Rao’s directorial Laapataa Ladies, India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 97th Academy Awards, has failed to make it to the Oscar shortlist.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed its shortlisted films for 10 categories on Tuesday (local time), and unfortunately, Laapataa Ladies was not among them, disappointing Indian audiences.
Produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Kindling Pictures, and Jio Studios, Laapataa Ladies was released in theatres on March 1, 2024. The film features Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan, and Chhaya Kadam, and is set in rural India. It tells the story of two young brides who are swapped on a train.
Kiran Rao, the director, and producer Aamir Khan had already begun promoting the film for the Oscars 2025, with screenings held in London. In November, a new poster for the film, titled Lost Ladies, was released for international audiences, marking a shift from the Hindi title Laapataa (meaning lost).
Notably, Lagaan (2001) remains the last Indian film to earn a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category, previously called Best Foreign Film, at the Oscars. Mother India (1957) and Salaam Bombay (1988) are the only other Indian films to achieve such recognition.