‘Truly tragic’, ‘stupidity of FFI’: Netizens react as India sends ‘Laapataa Ladies’ to Oscars 2025

The Film Federation of India (FFI) on September 23 announced that Ravi Kishan starrer-Laapataa Ladies has been selected as India’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars. The movie, which takes a humorous stance on patriarchy, emerged as a winner from a list of 29 shortlisted films.   

The announcement left social media abuzz with users of X (formerly Twitter) questioning the process behind the selection and also criticising the Film Federation of India for its jury citation. 

An angry X user wrote, “The Indian Oscar jury has continued its stupidity streak and selected Laapataa Ladies for Oscars instead of Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light... What the f*** even.” 

Another tweeted, “I loved Laapataa Ladies and believe it’s a supremely well-made film. But sending it to the Oscars as India’s official entry is like handing a batter a Player-of-the-Match Award when you have proof a bowler - Cannes Grand Prix-winner All We Imagine As Light - won you the game.” 

“This is truly tragic. A movie that can get a confirmed oscar nom gets lost and chose #LaapataaLadies. Hope other countries take this movie #allweimagineaslight to the oscars,” wrote another. 

Criticising FFI’s decision, a user said, “Before winning the 2023 Oscar for Best International Feature, THE ZONE OF INTEREST won the Cannes Grand Prix, the same award that ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT won this year. But LAAPATAA LADIES was an ‘unanimous decision’. Jahnu Barua, who headed the jury, last made a film in 2018”, adding “Indian women are a strange mixture of submission and dominance, the FFI says in its jury citation for LAAPATAA LADIES. You can’t make this shit up.” 

“LOL, this year India had a cannes grand prix winner in All we imagine as light and India chose this. FFI never fails to disappoint,” wrote another. 

The Kiran Rao directed movie emerged a winner against recent box office mega blockbusters like the Sandeep Reddy Vanga's “Animal” featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Tripti Dimri and Rashmika Mandanna, and Nag Ashwin directed “Kalki 2898 AD” featuring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachhan and Deepika Padukone, besides Malayalam National Award winner “Aattam” and Cannes winner “All We Imagine As Light”.  

Reacting to news, actor and BJP MP Ravi Kishan said, “I am so happy. I am not able to believe this. This is my first film that has made an entry in the Oscars... I give the whole credit to Kiran Rao, Aamir Khan, the writers and the cast of the film... We know that this film will be a hit, it will make an entry in the nationals. But we will enter the Oscars, I never thought that.”    

The 13-member select committee headed by Assamese director Jahnu Barua unanimously decided on Laapataa Ladies, produced by Aamir Khan and Rao for presentation in the best international film category at the Academy Awards. 

Citing the impact of cinema as a medium, Kiran Rao continued, “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 honour.”   

Although Laapataa Ladies performed modestly at the box office upon its theatrical release earlier this year, it gained significant popularity following its debut on Netflix, ultimately earning acclaim for its thematic depth and storytelling. 

On August 9, 2024, the Supreme Court of India screened the movie Laapataa Ladies to raise gender awareness among its employees. The screening was held as part of the Supreme Court's 75th anniversary celebrations.