The movies that could have been India’s Oscar entry

It’s Oscar time for Indian cinema. The jury headed by filmmaker Gautam Ghose assembled in Hyderabad to select India’s entry for this year’s Oscars. On Saturday evening the jury gave its verdict. The Gujarati film The Good Road made the final cut. Here’s looking at the other films that made it into the short list: English Vinglish: Director Gauri Shinde, Producer Eros International: USPs: the theme of an Indian woman struggling with the English language in a foreign country has found universal resonance. It has impressed Robert Redford’s daughter Amy enough to offer Sridevi a film with Meryl Streep. It also has a well-known French hero opposite Sridevi which makes it instantaneously likeable for global audiences. DFG (Downers For Goras): Too many very Indian references, too much focus on laddoos, shaadi plans and very Indian family ties. Smells of the Bollywood formula. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag: Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Producer Viacom 18. USPs: A truly inspiring tale of an Indian athletes struggle to rise above his destiny, the film even moved Carl Lewis to respond .DFG: Too lengthy, too many Indian historical details. The Lunchbox: Director Ritesh Batra, Producers UTV & Others. USP: Is a popular choice across the board, has been hailed by Western critics who generally shy away from ‘Bollywood’ films. The theme of suburban loneliness is universal. DFG: But would the goras warm up to the culture of dabbawallas, commuters and other Mumbai-specific elements? Celluloid: Director Kamal’s Malayalam bio-pic about J.C Daniel(Prithviraj), a passionate moviemaker who goes to unimaginable lengths of self-abnegation to make a film. USP: Pritviraj’s thoughtful performance and the theme of defying social norm and braving social ostracism to make a film. DFG: Too rooted to the Malayali milieu and it went too far back in time to register as a valid and important treatise on artistic commitment for the Western audience. Viswaroopam: Kamal Haasan’s stylish espionage thriller that showed the actor doing a vigorous Superman act, transforming from a supple Kathak dancer to the only man who can save the country from international terrorists. USP: international counter-terrorism is very very hot for the westerners. DFG: the film was too long and too intricately plotted, needed pruning. Shabdo: Kaushik Ganguly’s Bengali film about real life foley artiste Tarak Dutta (RitwickChakraborty)whose obsession with cinematic sound isolates him from the real world. USP: emotional and spiritual alienation is easy for audiences anywhere to comprehend. DFG: the Westerners think Bengali cinema begins and ends with Satyajit Ray. The Ship Of Theseus: Director Anand Gandhi, Producers UTV. USP: a layered segmented saga of 3 individuals struggling to have their say in a world gone monstrously corrupt, Theseus is a mood-creation that Western audiences would find easy to empathize with. Isske paas Aamir aur Kiran Rao hai. DFG: the themes in at least two of the stories are intensely rooted to the Indian ethos and moreover there are no conclusions only debates on modern moral degeneration. Film requires considerable footnotes to be understood by a Western audience.