Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies Out Of Oscars 2025 Race

Kiran Rao's quirky rural comedy Laapataa Ladies, India's official entry for the 2025 Oscars, failed to make the shortlist for the Best International Feature Film category.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced its selections on Wednesday, excluding the film from the list that includes global contenders like Brazil's I'm Still Here, Canada's Universal Language, Germany's The Seed of the Sacred Fig, and Ireland's Kneecap.

The film, centered on the chaos of two missing brides on a train journey, was rejected by Academy voters, sparking renewed criticism of India's Oscar selection process. Many fans and critics took to social media to express disappointment, with some arguing that Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light would have been a more suitable entry.

Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej voiced his frustration on Twitter, stating: "#LaapataaLadies is a well-made, entertaining movie, but was absolutely the wrong choice for India. When will we realize that year after year, we are choosing the wrong films? We need to look beyond mainstream Bollywood to truly artistic cinema."

A Bright Spot: Guneet Monga Backs Shortlisted Film 'Anuja'

While Laapataa Ladies fell short, Indian producer Guneet Monga celebrated another Oscar nod. Anuja, a short film backed by Monga, was shortlisted for the Best Live Action Short Film category. Directed by Adam J. Graves, the film boasts a strong production team including Suchitra Mattai, Mindy Kaling, and Shine Global.

Monga's previous production, The Elephant Whisperers, brought home the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film in 2024, further cementing her reputation as a champion of global cinema.

France's Emilia Prez, Denmark's The Girl with The Needle, and Sandhya Suri's Santosh, Touch, Kneecap, Vermiglio, Flow, Armand, From Ground Zero, Dahomey, and How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies are still in the race.