The journey to the Oscars is one that many filmmakers dream of, and for India, it often brings pride when its films are selected as the official entries for the Best International Feature Film category.
However, this year, India’s official submission, Laapataa Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao, has failed to make it to the shortlist for the 2025 Academy Awards, marking a disappointing turn for both the film and its supporters.
What is Laapataa Ladies About?
Set in rural India during the early 2000s, Laapataa Ladies explores the complex layers of patriarchy through a unique feminist lens. The story revolves around two brides who, by a twist of fate, are swapped on the day of their wedding during a train journey.
The film is both poignant and subversive, blending social commentary with humor. Laapataa Ladies stars Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta as the swapped brides, with Sparsh Shrivastav playing the confused groom, Phool, on a mission to find his bride.
Why Laapataa Ladies Didn’t Make the Oscars Shortlist
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023, gaining recognition for its bold exploration of social norms and its witty take on gender roles. In September 2024, Laapataa Ladies was chosen by the Film Federation of India (FFI) as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards. At the time, many praised the film for its progressive narrative and strong social message.
Despite the initial excitement, Laapataa Ladies failed to make it past the first round of Oscars voting. The Academy’s shortlist of 15 films vying for the final five did not include the film, which left many industry insiders and fans perplexed. The snub raises the question: why did this promising film fail to capture the Academy’s attention?
While there’s no official explanation for its exclusion, the competition in the International Feature category was fierce, with 85 countries submitting their entries. Other films such as Santosh from the UK, Emilia Pérez from France, and How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies from Thailand made it to the next round, showing just how strong the global competition was.
India’s Oscars Hopes Now Rest on Anuja
Although Laapataa Ladies’s journey to the Oscars ended prematurely, India’s hopes in the 2025 Oscars are far from over. Guneet Monga’s Anuja, a live-action short film about child labor in the garment industry, has made it to the shortlist in the Best Live-Action Short Film category. This is Monga’s third Oscar nomination, following the success of her previous works, The Elephant Whisperers and Period End of Sentence, both of which won Oscars in the past.
What This Means for India’s Film Industry and the Oscars
While Laapataa Ladies may not have made it to the next stage of the Oscars race, it has still garnered widespread acclaim for its rich storytelling and its critique of gender inequality. As it continues to be showcased in film festivals and across global platforms, the film is likely to make a lasting impact on its viewers, irrespective of its Oscars journey.
With Anuja now in the race, and with filmmakers like Guneet Monga continuing to bring powerful stories to the forefront, India’s presence in global cinema remains strong. It’s clear that while Laapataa Ladies may not have reached the Oscars, its influence and relevance in discussions on patriarchy, gender roles, and feminist cinema are undeniable.
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