Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies earned widespread critical acclaim and captivated audiences globally. The acclaimed director shares her thoughts on the film not securing a spot on the Academy Awards 2025 shortlist.
Kiran Rao’s comedy-drama Laapataa Ladies was widely celebrated last year for its exceptional storytelling and performances. Since its release, the film has continued to win hearts, earning admiration from critics and audiences alike.
The nation rejoiced when Laapataa Ladies was selected as India’s official entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
However, the announcement of the Oscars shortlist yesterday brought disappointment as the film failed to secure a spot. While many expressed dismay, a few contrarian opinions also surfaced.
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Following its release last year, Laapataa Ladies made a remarkable journey through several international film festivals. It shone brightly at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival 2023, winning the Best Film (Critics’ Choice) award, and also garnered acclaim at the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne.
Director Kiran Rao became emotional and shared her response to the news. The official Instagram page of Laapataa Ladies posted a heartfelt message about the film not making it to the Oscars this year. Shortly after, Rao re-shared the post, adding a heart emoji.
The Laapataa Ladies team expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming love and appreciation the film has received.
A part of the extended post read, “We thank the Academy members and the FFI jury for considering our film. Being part of this prestigious selection process, alongside some of the best films globally, is truly an honor. Our sincere thanks to the audiences worldwide who have shown such love and support for our film.”
While India felt disheartened by this news, there is still cause for celebration with Shahana Goswami’s Hindi-language film Santosh, which made it to the Oscars shortlist. The film has been selected as the United Kingdom’s entry in the Documentary Short Film category.
