Sudhir Mishra on elimination of Laapataa Ladies from the Oscars race: A good jury can choose the right film

Speaking about the elimination of Laapataa Ladies from the Oscars race, filmmaker Sudhir Mishra feels the focus should be on “India-centric” selections.

Speaking about the elimination of Laapataa Ladies from the Oscars race, three-time National Film Award-winning filmmaker Sudhir Mishra feels the focus should be on “India-centric” selections.

Sudhir Mishra was recently in the state capital for the Metaphor Lucknow LitFest (HT Photo)

He explains, “It’s the Academy members’ decision, so we can’t question that. We need to see whether we were right in the selection of the jury. A good jury can choose the right film. In my case, (actor) Shah Rukh Khan and Amol Palekar’s Paheli (2005) was sent over Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi as India’s official entry. So, what can I say? It was the jury’s call.”

Mishra adds that it was “the wisdom of the jury that they selected Laapataa Ladies over director Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light”. He says, “Maybe they thought it was more worthy and had more chances, but the Academy members did not think so. ”

He goes on to suggest how things could be bettered: “We should look beyond Mumbai and the Hindi film industry, as it’s about India’s entry to the Oscars! There could have been a film from Kerala or West Bengal or from the South — Tamil, Telugu, Kannada or Malayalam. India should send at least three recommendations and make the Academy members understand that we are a large country, and these are the three big industries in terms of cinema, financing, distribution system and commercial aspect. Otherwise, the selection will be a little tilted towards this or that. And, if only one film, participation of all-industry people should be there in the selection process.”

Mishra concludes, “The point is why mistakes are being committed and why we make it so Hindi-centric. We need to make it India-centric. Today, if we look commercially too South Indian film industries are so big. I was heading the jury for Kerala’s state awards and saw 40 Malayalam films and they were so good. So, we need to think differently!”