Kiran Rao’s directorial Laapataa Ladies, which was India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars, has been eliminated from the race. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the shortlists for 10 categories for the 97th Oscars on Tuesday, and unfortunately, Laapataa Ladies was not included, disappointing Indian audiences.
Produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Kindling Pictures, and Jio Studios, Laapataa Ladies hit theaters on March 1, 2024. The film stars Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan, and Chhaya Kadam. Set in rural India, the story revolves around two young brides who are accidentally swapped on a train.
Despite the setback, director Kiran Rao and producer Aamir Khan have already begun campaigning for the 2025 Oscars. The movie was recently screened in London, and on November 12, a new poster was released, renaming the film Lost Ladies for international audiences. The Hindi word “Laapataa” was translated into English as “Lost” for global viewers.
It’s worth noting that Aamir Khan’s Lagaan remains the last Indian film to be nominated in the top five for the Best International Feature Film category (formerly known as Best Foreign Film) at the Oscars in 2002. Other Indian films that have made it to the nominations are Mother India(1957) and Salaam Bombay(1988).
