RRR Can Still Win Oscar! After Rejection As Official Entry, RRR To Compete For 15 Categories
While RRR has been rejected as India's official entry, it can still win an Oscar. The US distributor of the film has submitted it under 16 categories including Best Picture.
From Guardians of Galaxy director James Gunn to Avengers: Endgame fame Russo Brother, from international critics to audiences, everyone was bowled over with SS Rajamouli's RRR.
Not only Indians including Anurag Kashyap--who even said that the movie has 90 percent chance of bagging an Oscar nomination if it becomes India's official entry--had high hopes for the film, but even people abroad had their bets on the film.
I just saw RRR and I¡¯m sorry but all American movies are lame now. This is the best thing in the world pic.twitter.com/AlI7rUJ9IJ
¡ª Patrick Willems (@patrickhwillems) March 25, 2022
Hollywood's reputed magazine Variety thought RRR could bag more than one nomination. After India announced Gujarati film Chhello as its official entry for Best International/Best Foreign Film category, the senior editor of Variety was among others who expressed his disappointment on Film Federation of India's decision.
"No #RRR at the Oscars for international feature. India, for the second time in recent memory, has chosen another film over the one they probably could have won with. The first was them not choosing THE LUNCHBOX. What a morning," he wrote.
No #RRR at the Oscars for international feature. India, for the second time in recent memory, has chosen another film over the one they probably could have won with. The first was them not choosing THE LUNCHBOX.
¡ª Clayton Davis - Stand with ?? (@ByClaytonDavis) September 20, 2022
What a morning.
https://t.co/9CK5SQA7dT via @variety pic.twitter.com/xva766OAVV
People thought that the film could bring India its first nomination after 21 years of wait. But is RRR out of the Oscar race? The answer is no. Here's why!
sums it up pic.twitter.com/PzZyTl8TjM
¡ª BenDavid Grabinski+ (@bdgrabinski) March 31, 2022
The US distributor for the film has revealed that RRR will now be submitted for best picture, best director (S.S. Rajamouli), original screenplay (Rajamouli and V. Vijayendra Prasad), lead actor (for both N.T. Rama Rao Jr and Ram Charan), supporting actor (Ajay Devgn), supporting actress (Alia Bhatt), original song (Naatu Naatu), original score (M.M. Keeravaani), cinematography, production design, film editing, costume design, makeup and hairstyling, sound and visual effects.
"We have heard fans from around the world tell us that they believe this is one of the best films of the year from any nation... We proudly invite the Academy to consider ¡®RRR¡¯ in all categories," president of Variance Films, Dylan Marchetti told The Variety.
Can RRR bag a nomination even if it is not India's official entry? Yes. Here's how!
#RRR, my best theater experience to date. Indian cinema is highly underrated in the states. My fellow white people, I don't think you realize what you're missing. @ssrajamouli thank you for making another breathtaking, badass piece of film.? Holy shit.?? #RRRTakeOver
¡ª purplesaber (@purplesaber474) March 31, 2022
For the unversed, an official entry for Oscars means that the film will seek nomination under Best International Feature Film. The Academy Awards invites all countries to send their best film under foreign language category. The selection is done by Film Federation of India. This category is exclusively for non-US films, but that doesn't mean that a foreign language film cannot win under any other category. In 2020, Parasite, a Korean film won the Best Picture award.
Hence, now that the US Distributor of the film - Variance Films - has announced that it will submit the film for other categories, RRR can still win an Oscar.
Meanwhile, as per Variety, RRR is not yet available on the Academy Streaming Room, "which is part of a strategy to get as many voters to see it on the big screen in order to highlight its epic scale and breathtaking visuals".
The Oscars are scheduled to take place on March 12, 2023, in Los Angeles.
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