Indian cinema has a long history of making its mark at the Oscars, from classic nominations like ‘Mother India’ (1957) to recent successes such as ‘RRR’ (2022). While competition remains fierce, hopes are high again as ‘Laapataa Ladies’ prepares to enter the race for the Best International Feature Film title. Let’s take a close look into the rising buzz surrounding the film. The Journey of ‘Laapataa Ladies’: From Theatrical Miss to Netflix Success Produced by Jio Studios, Aamir Khan Productions, and Kindling Pictures, ‘Laapataa Ladies’ premiered on September 8, 2023, at the Toronto International Film Festival. After its theatrical release on March 1, 2024, the initial reception was unfavorable. However, the satirical film found new life following its Netflix debut on April 26, garnering widespread acclaim. The movie was directed by Kiran Rao. The production credit goes to Rao, Aamir Khan, and Jyoti Deshpande. The cast features Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goyel, Chhaya Kadam, Sparsh Shrivastava, Abhay Shankar Dubey, Geeta Aggarwal Sharma, Ravi Kishan, and Durgesh Kumar. Read more: October 2024 Bollywood Release Lineup: Top 10 Hindi Movies to Watch ‘Laapataa Ladies’ Sets Its Sights on the Oscars On Monday, September 23, the Film Federation of India announced ‘Laapataa Ladies’ as its official entry for the 97th Academy Awards. This film will compete for a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category, representing India on the global stage. The selection committee, consisting of 13 members and chaired by acclaimed Assamese director Jahnu Barua, has made this decision. The selection process saw the movie outshine 29 notable contenders, including Cannes winner ‘All We Imagine as Light’, the Bollywood hit ‘Animal’, and the Malayalam film ‘Aattam’. As per Oscar rules, only one film from each country can be submitted for the Best International Feature Film category. A shortlist of 15 films is created from entries submitted worldwide, from which 5 will be nominated for the final event. Read more: Must-watch South Indian Films Releasing in October 2024

Versatile thespian Rajinikanth will be conferred this year's prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian cinema. This was announced by the Indian government on Thursday. “Happy to announce Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2020 to one of the greatest actors in history of Indian cinema Rajnikant ji. His contribution as actor, producer and screenwriter has been iconic,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema. The recipient is honoured for their "outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema" and is selected by a committee consisting of eminent personalities from the Indian film industry. Soon after the announcement by the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah rushed to Twitter to congratulate the 70-year-old southern Indian superstar. Also read: Indian superstar Rajinikanth abandons political ambitions "Hearty congratulations to Shri @rajinikanth on being conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Over the past many years, the versatile actor has been enthralling people by portraying a vast array of roles depicting myriad hues of human experience and emotions," the Vice President wrote. Modi also lauded the veteran actor's contributions to Indian cinema. "Popular across generations, a body of work few can boast of, diverse roles and an endearing personality...that’s Shri @rajinikanth Ji for you. It is a matter of immense joy that Thalaiva has been conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Congratulations to him." On his part, the Indian Home Minister tweeted: "Rajnikanth ji is a true legend, a versatile actor, whose acting and cinematic talent has millions of fans across the world. I join our countrymen in congratulating Shri @rajinikanth  Ji for being conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award." Later in the day, Rajinikanth himself took to Twitter to share a long note in his mother tongue, Tamil. “I wholeheartedly thank the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conferring me Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in the Indian Film Industry," he wrote. Also read: Indian film superstar Rajinikanth turns 70 "I thank my bus driver and friend Raj Bahadur who discovered my acting talent and encouraged me, my brother Sathyanarayana Rao Gaekwad who sacrificed a lot while we were struggling in poverty to make me an actor, my guru K Balachander for creating ‘the Rajinikanth," the actor added. Born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, Rajinikanth made his debut in 1975 Tamil drama Apoorva Raagangal. Subsequently, he made his Bollywood debut. He achieved stardom in the 1990s. The regional film Baashha, released in 1995, in which Rajinikanth played a crime boss, earned him a 'god-like' status in Tamil Nadu. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema, whose popularity has been attributed to his uniquely styled dialogues in films. He has won many awards, including four Tamil Nadu State Film Best Actor Awards. He is the only actor to be featured in a school board syllabus, in a lesson' From Bus Conductor to Superstar. The Indian government earlier honored the philanthropist with two civilian awards -- the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016. Read Indian film superstar Rajinikanth to float political party