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Spoiler’s Ahead by Rajeev Masand: Curveball at the Oscars
It’s nothing short of baffling how some people make the same mistake over and over again
It’s nothing short of baffling how some people make the same mistake over and over again.
A few weeks ago when it was time to announce India’s official entry for the Oscars, most prognosticators predicted that the vote would go to RRR, SS Rajamouli’s box-office smashing blockbuster that had emerged the darling of American critics since it dropped on Netflix in May, kicking off serious Oscar buzz.
But the Film Federation of India (FFI), which is tasked with setting up a committee each year to evaluate what film could have the best shot at landing a nomination in the Best Foreign Language category, once again threw a curveball. They picked the Gujarati film Chhello Show (Last Film Show) directed by Pan Nalin which, although well reviewed during its brief festival run, simply doesn’t have the momentum of RRR.
Controversies galore
Sadly this is not the first time that the FFI has been out of sync with awards experts. They famously snubbed The Lunchbox in 2013, which after a splashy debut in Cannes had rustled up considerable international attention. Instead, the FFI picked the relatively obscure arthouse title The Good Road. A filmmaker who served on the committee that year provided an insight into that horribly miscalculated decision. On the condition of anonymity, the filmmaker revealed to me that the committee didn’t appreciate being told that The Lunchbox had secured US distribution, so had a better shot of mounting a successful Oscar campaign. He explained also that there were more than a few filmmakers on the committee who “weren’t fans of Anurag Kashyap,” one of the producers on The Lunchbox.
Petty jealousy aside, the selection of India’s Oscar entry has been controversial and contentious for the simple reason that the brief given to the selection committee has been consistently erroneous. In illustrating the problem, the same filmmaker told me that the committee was clear they had to find the “best film suited to represent the country”.
The notion that only a film rooted in the heartland, or one whose story deals with socio-economic strife, or whose story somehow harks back to events and incidents from the past qualifies as ‘Indian enough’ for the Oscars is both myopic and outdated. While it’s true that the three Indian films ever to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film (Mother India, Salaam Bombay, Lagaan) do tick at least one of those boxes, you might do well to turn to recent winners like Drive My Car (2021, from Japan) and Parasite (2020, from South Korea) to note that urban-set dramas focussed on affluent characters and dealing with contemporary issues can be just as culturally specific.
As far as picking the “best” film is concerned, that approach may be somewhat flawed given that what is best, or better than others, is itself subjective. What is crucial however, awards experts will tell you, is to pick the film that is most likely to secure the nomination. It is no secret that Sony Pictures Classics had promised to roll out a solid (and expensive) Oscar campaign for The Lunchbox once it was anointed India’s official entry. When that didn’t happen, the campaign was reportedly called off.
Commitment required
It’s different in the case of RRR. Although it now does not qualify to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, its US distributors are confident that Rajamouli’s soaring spectacle has what it takes to crash the main categories. It is a long shot, but distributors Variance Releasing has just kicked off a campaign for RRR to be considered in major ‘mainstream’ categories like Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Song. The film has been re-released theatrically in cities across the US (after its original release in March) and continues to draw robust crowds. Rajamouli was flown out to first participate in an in-conversation at the Toronto Film Festival, then a screening for Academy members in New York, then one in Los Angeles at the famed Chinese Theatre, whose 932 seats were sold out within minutes of going live. Fan videos from the LA screening posted on social media show the audience erupting into cheers routinely, and offering a standing ovation to the visibly elated director who was invited to the front of the theatre at the end of the film.
Oscar campaigns require concentrated effort and deep pockets. Aamir Khan took roughly six months off from his commitments and temporarily relocated to Los Angeles in 2002 to launch a campaign for Lagaan. Creating awareness about the film is the biggest challenge. With over 80 films from across the globe vying for the coveted nod in the Foreign Language Film category, it means months of screenings and events for Academy members, and millions on advertising and outreach. Only the most resilient make it.
Chhello Show may be a beautiful film; those who’ve seen it describe it as a love letter to the movies. The story of a nine-year-old boy from a village in Gujarat who spends his summer watching films in the projection booth of his local cinema after bribing the projectionist, is reminiscent of the beloved Italian film Cinema Paradiso (even their posters are strikingly similar). But does it have the legs, and the momentum, to go the distance?
The answer to that will determine whether the folks taking the call have learnt anything from their past mistakes.
Formerly a film journalist, Rajeev Masand currently heads a talent management agency in Mumbai
From HT Brunch, October 15, 2022
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