Guneet Monga's Anuja Shortlisted; Kiran Rao's 'Laapataa Ladies' Out Of Oscar Race

As the Oscar nomination race reached its next level of shortlisting, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced the list of films eligible for the Best International Feature Film award at the 2025 Oscars. Sadly, Kiran Rao’s directorial Laapataa Ladies was officially kicked out of the race. However, there is still hope for India, as Guneet Monga’s live-action short Anuja is in the race for the Best Live Action Short Film category.

Directed by Adam J Graves, Anuja is produced by Suchitra Mattai with additional producers Mindy Kaling, Shine Global’s Alexandra Blaney, Krushan Naik (Resurgence), and Aaron Kopp (Saving Face, Liyana, Hunting Ground). Guneet Monga’s earlier production The Elephant Whisperers won in the Best Documentary Short Film category at Oscars 2024.

Read Also: “Sincere, Funny, Beautiful Film”: Anurag Kashyap Lauds Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies

Another Hindi language film titled Santhosh, the official entry from the UK, has made it to the Best International Feature Film category.

Meanwhile, the debate on whether Laapataa Ladies was the right choice to send to the Oscars reignited, with many blaming the Film Federation of India (FFI) for “humiliating” the country.

An X user blamed FFI for ruining India’s chance to win a potential Oscar and suggested a full revamp for the federation for its better functioning. “FFI snubbed AWIAL, destroying our chances to be on the list. The Film Federation of India requires a full revamp. The ones who are there now should step down and let others who understand and know the art of cinema take over,” observed a netizen.

FFI snubbed AWIAL, destroying our chances to be on the list. The Film Federation of India requires a full revamp. The ones who are there now should step down and let others who understand and know the art of cinema take over https://t.co/Br374lo92b

— Raju Gosling (@billyoftea) December 17, 2024

Another social media user felt that Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light had a higher chance of securing an Oscar win. “Guess what is Missing or Laapata from the Oscars shortlist. Future lesson for that confederacy of dunces of Film Federation of India committee – An oscar campaign for your beloved desi film can’t start in October. All We Imagine As Light had a direct path to an Oscar nod,” read the post.

Guess what is Missing or Laapata from the Oscars shortlist. Future lesson for that confederacy of dunces of Film Federation of India committee – An oscar campaign for your beloved desi film can’t start in October. All We Imagine As Light had a direct path to an Oscar nod. pic.twitter.com/OtIzThSUSX

— Saurabh Vashist (@saurabhvashist_) December 17, 2024

Expressing their disappointment, this X user humorously remarked, “Film federation of Indian does it again 😂 the cinema lovers of India should protest.”

Film federation of Indian does it again 😂 the cinema lovers of India should protest 😂

— OUR STUPID REACTIONS (@STUPIDREACTIONS) December 18, 2024

Read Also: Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao Introduce New Title For Oscar Nominated ‘Laapataa Ladies’

Urging the FFI to look beyond Bollywood to find the best films for the categories, Indian composer and Grammy winner Rickey Kej observed, “Unfortunately we live in a “Mainstream Bollywood” bubble, where we cannot look beyond films that we ourselves find entertaining. Instead we should just look for good films made by film-makers who are uncompromising in their art.. low budget or big budget.. star or no star.. just great artistic cinema.”

So, the @TheAcademy Oscars shortlist is out. #LaapataaLadies is a very well made, entertaining movie (I enjoyed it), but was absolutely the wrong choice to represent India for the best #InternationalFeatureFilm category. As expected, it lost.
When are we going to realize.. year… pic.twitter.com/iWGpSXY1KD

— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) December 18, 2024

Kej stated that the film lacks the treatment and presentation that could win an Oscar. He highlighted that while the Kiran Rao directorial is a good film, it does not fit into the Oscar category.

“I re-iterate. Laapataa Ladies is a good film, well made, I myself found it engaging and entertaining.. handing subject matter well.. I even watched it a second time with friends. It is a film which fits well within the Indian mainstream.. and there is nothing wrong with that. But the treatment, style and presentation was not something that could ever win the “International Feature Film Category” at the Oscars. The poster itself, with the retro-collage look, the doodles, and the comic fonts does not show depth, that is usually preferred in this category.”

I re-iterate. Laapataa Ladies is a good film, well made, I myself found it engaging and entertaining.. handing subject matter well.. I even watched it a second time with friends. It is a film which fits well within the Indian mainstream.. and there is nothing wrong with that. But…

— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) December 18, 2024

Here is the list of films still running to score an Oscar nomination for the Best International Feature:

• Armand (Norway)
• Dahomey (Senegal)
• Emilia Perez (France)
• Flow (Latvia)
• From Ground Zero (Paleatine)
• The Girl with the Needle (Denmark)
• How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand)
• I’m Still Here (Brazil)
• Santhosh (UK)
• The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany)
• Touch (Iceland)
• Universal Language (Canada)
• Waves (Czech Republic)
• Vermiglio (Italy)

Oscar voting to determine the nominees in all 23 categories will begin on January 8, ending on January 12. Nominations will be announced on Friday, January 17.