Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies announced as India’s official entry for the 97th Oscars

The Film Federation of India, responsible for selecting the official entry for the Best Foreign Film Category, has announced this year's pick for the 97th Academy Awards. It has been revealed that Kiran Rao helmed Laapataa Ladies will be sent as India’s official entry for the prestigious international awards. This film was produced by Aamir Khan and was screened at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on 8 September 2023.The film had a theatrical release on March 1, 2024.
The film starred Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Srivastava, Nitanshi Goel, Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan, and narrated the story of two young newly-wed brides who get exchanged during a train ride to their husband's homes.
Laapataa Ladies was reportedly made on a budget of Rs 4-5 crore and raked in around Rs 27 crore worldwide. Recently, the film won acclaim after it was sceened at the the Moscow International Film Week. Hailing the international recognition, Kiran had told ETimes, "As filmmakers from India, we want to showcase our films to the world. All filmmakers realize that national borders no longer bind their audience and that stories speak across continents and languages despite cultural differences. Indian cinema is now in a position to broaden its audience base. We have been seeing a lot of different kinds of audiences over the last few decades. Especially with the streamers now, in the last five or ten years, we've seen even greater audiences watch Indian content. So, it makes me feel great and proud. I hope we'll keep going to greater heights from here."
Reacting to the selection, Kiran Rao shared in a statement, "I am deeply honored and beyond delighted that our film ‘Laapataa Ladies’ has been chosen as India’s official entry to the Academy Awards. This recognition is a testament to the tireless work of my entire team, whose dedication and passion brought this story to life. Cinema has always been a powerful medium to connect hearts, transcend boundaries, and ignite meaningful conversations. I hope that this film will resonate with audiences across the world, just as it has in India. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the selection committee and to everyone who believed in this film. It is indeed a great privilege to be selected from among such amazing Indian films this year - who are equally worthy contenders for this honor. My deepest thanks go to Aamir Khan Productions and Jio Studios for their unwavering support and faith in this vision. It has been a privilege to work alongside such a passionate and talented team of professionals who shared my commitment to telling this story. I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire cast and crew, whose immense talent, dedication, and hard work made this film possible. This journey has been one of incredible collaboration and growth. To the audience, your love and support mean the world to us, and it is your belief in this film that continues to inspire us as filmmakers to push creative boundaries. Thank you once again for this incredible honor. We look forward to taking this journey ahead with great enthusiasm."
Last year at the Academy Awards, India won recognition as the Naatu Naatu song, from SS Rajamouli’s RRR, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.