Laapataa Ladies at Oscars: Aamir Khan defends film against criticism of 'backward mentality'

Actor Aamir Khan has come to the defence of his latest production, Laapataa Ladies*, following criticism that the film perpetuates a 'backward mentality.' Directed by Kiran Rao, the movie has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature category at the Academy Awards.

In a recent interview with BBC Asian Network, Khan addressed concerns that films set in rural India may reinforce outdated stereotypes about the country. He emphasized that while Laapataa Ladies is set in a village, not all Indian films focus on rural life. "A lot of our films are accepted all over the world," he stated. "I don’t think audiences globally have major misconceptions about how India is anymore. The idea that India is solely a land of snake charmers and elephants is a thing of the past."

When asked about the film's potential resonance with international audiences, Khan expressed confidence in their understanding of diverse narratives. "We should give them more credit—they’ve seen films from all over the world," he said.

Laapataa Ladies tells the story of two brides who are inadvertently exchanged at a railway station, leading to comedic misadventures and life lessons. The film, produced by Aamir Khan and Jyoti Deshpande under the banners of Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, is based on an award-winning story by Biplab Goswami. The screenplay and dialogue were crafted by Sneha Desai, with additional contributions from Divyanidhi Sharma.

Laapataa Ladies is Kiran Rao's second directorial venture after the 2010 film Dhobi Ghat. The film features Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Shrivastav, Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan in lead roles. Laapataa Ladies was first screened at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was theatrically released on March 1, 2024. 

Meanwhile, no Indian film entry has ever been nominated for the best international feature film at the Oscars since the Aamir Khan-starrer Lagaan in 2002. The other two films that have previously made it to the final 5 are the Nargis and Sunil Dutt-starrer Mother India and Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay. 

Superhit Malayalam film 2018: Everyone is a Hero, featuring Tovino Thomas in the lead role, was sent as India's official entry to the Oscars last year.