Ravi Kishan on Laapataa Ladies not making it to the Oscars 2025 list: It's a sad day, but happy the film reached so far

Actor Ravi Kishan says it's a “sad day” as his film Laapataa Ladies is out of Oscars race, but he is “happy that the film reached so far”.

Parliamentarian and actor Ravi Kishan says it's a “sad day” as his film Laapataa Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao, is out of the Oscars race. Still, he is “happy that the film reached so far”.

Ravi Kishan in a still from Laapataa Ladies

India's official entry in the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards got out of the Oscars race it was announced on Wednesday morning.

“I tried speaking with Kiran (Rao, director) but she is probably travelling so baat nahi ho pai. Dukhi to hoon zaroor (the film is out of the Oscars race) but khushi hai ki Oscar entry tak to pahuch gaye Ravi Kishan. Will try again with a good film,” says the actor who plays the role of sub-inspector Shyam Manohar.

Kishan says, “It was about the world cinema and we were in competition with everyone aur usmein hum thoda peeche reh gaye. But, we are proud that India got an entry to the Oscars. Udaasi to hoti hai kyonki umeed jagi thi. It’s a sad day, I got to know about it late as I was in the Parliament. Bharat ka cinema tha, dehat, women empowerment, organic farming, story, music and the subject everything was very good. Ek choti se film wahan tak pahunchi...pyaas accha tha. The audience have said that main film ki atma tha uski khushi hai.”

The team was gearing up with travel formalities, he says.

“We all have worked hard towards it. Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan had been there for such a long time, we were also gearing up to go. Our visa and everyone was done and we were about to go for 15 days. We were about to travel as we were hoping ki ho jayega but... No problem, there is always a next time! I can just remember (poet) Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s lines ‘Man ka ho to accha, man ka no ho to aur abhi accha’,” adds Kishan.