Amid backlash, FFI explains why 'Laapataa Ladies' won over 'All That We Imagine As Light' as Oscar entry

While a lot of people celebrated the selection of Laapataa Ladies as India's official entry for Oscars 2025, there is a section of audiences which are appalled at All That We Imagine as Light being snubbed by India's Oscar committe. So much so, that outrage and disbelief have swept through fans igniting a fierce debate across social media, with many questioning why the film that became first Indian film in 30 years to win Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Fans furious over All That We Imagine As Light India's snub in Oscar race

Oscars Entry 2025
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The film that bagged the second-most prestigious award of the festival after the Palme d¡¯Or was ignored over Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies. There were 29 other films competiting in the race. They included Animal and Aattam among others. The outrage is only growing as people think Payal Kapadia's film was a better choice than Kiran Rao directorial, and so, they are slamming 13-member selection committee.

Malayalam cinema performed very good this year, but they got only 4 Nominations but Look at This year Below Average Performer Bollywood Films, they have 11 including Chhoota Bheem and Animal.?WTF BRUH#Oscar #laapataladies #AllWeImagineAsLight pic.twitter.com/c80ths08sm

¡ª Bhuvanesh? (@thymetisash) September 23, 2024

"LAAPATAA LADIES being chosen as India's official Oscar entry when you also have ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT is proof of not just the vague selection process that refuses to think beyond Hindi cinema but also how illiterate the apex body is about how these noms work in the first place," one of the users wrote.

Here's why All That We Imagine As Light was not selected

A word to manel that did not select #AllWeImagineAsLight. #PayalKapadia is not done yet! pic.twitter.com/6nVeuT0BFK

¡ª Aseem Chhabra (@chhabs) September 23, 2024

The Film Federation of India (FFI) President Ravi Kottakara explained how the film selection was done. "In the jury, everyone has to decide the film. The jury like Laapataa Ladies, and felt that All We Imagine As Light was a foreign film not Indian cinema." Furthermore, he explained, "When they saw Laapataa Ladies, it represented the plight of the Indian women. In the film, the women had to wear the goonghat, and because of that, all the misunderstandings occur. They felt that this is something that happens only in India."

Also Read: PM Modi, Alia Bhatt, And Others React As Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light Wins At Cannes 2024

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