{
  "id": 10587653,
  "title": "Five Indian Oscars submissions that sparked debate – and films that missed out",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/five-indian-oscars-submissions-that-sparked-debate-and-films-that",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T02:04:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film-tv/2026/09/29/five-indian-oscars-submissions-that-sparked-debate-and-films-that-missed-out/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "India has secured two films for the 2027 Oscars: Santosh Davakhar's Marathi-language thriller, Gondhal, and Theja Rio's drama, Angh. The films must now await the announcement of the shortlist on December 15 and the final nominations on January 21, 2027.\n\nIn the past, securing the Film Federation of India's backing was crucial for an Indian film's chances in this category. Historically, just three Indian films have reached the final nominations: Mother India, Salaam Bombay!, and Lagaan. This has sparked debates over whether selectors should prioritize artistic merit, a film's representation of India, or its appeal to Academy voters.\n\nFive films that were selected but faced criticism include Laapataa Ladies, All We Imagine as Light, The Good Road, Barfi!, and Eklavya: The Royal Guard. Laapataa Ladies, directed by Payal Kapadia, was criticized for its resemblance to a European film, while All We Imagine as Light, about nurses in Mumbai, was passed over despite winning the Grand Prix at Cannes. The Good Road, Gyan Correa's Gujarati-language film, was criticized for its unfamiliar setting and The Lunchbox, starring Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur, was deemed technically weak by the jury. Barfi!, Anurag Basu's film about a deaf man, faced accusations of plagiarism from other international films, while Eklavya: The Royal Guard faced a legal challenge alleging bias in the selection process.",
  "summary": "India has two films in the race for best international feature at next year’s Oscars, but there have been decades of debate over the country's previous selections. Santosh Davakhar’s Marathi-language thriller Gondhal is the official submission, while Theja Rio’s drama Angh , set in Nagaland, has qualified through winning the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival. New Academy…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Five Indian Oscars submissions that sparked debate – and films that missed out",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/five-indian-oscars-submissions-that-sparked-debate-and-films-that-10587673",
        "published": "2026-09-29T02:04:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}