Chhello Show India’s Oscar entry. Critics & cinephiles pan choice over RRR
Chhello Show, titled in English as Last Film Show, a Gujarati film, has been selected as India’s entry for the 95th Oscar Awards in 2023.
Though there has been mixed reaction to the choice, TP Aggarwal, president of Film Federation of India, told indianexpress.com the film was the unanimous choice of the jury, much ahead of contenders, and big hits, like RRR and The Kashmir Files. According to him, of the jury of 17, “all of them said we need this film”. Aggarwal was not a part of the jury.
Besides Chhello Show, there were 12 films in contention for nomination, according to various reports: Brahmastra, The Kashmir Files, Anek, Jhund, Badhaai Do, Rocketry (all Hindi). RRR, Shyam Singha Roy (both Telugu), Ariyippu, Malayankunju (both Malayalam), Aparajito (Bengali) and Iravin Nizhal (Tamil).
However, going by first reactions on the net from cinephiles and several film personalities, as well as some columnists, not nominating SS Rajamouli’s massive hit, RRR is a big mistake as it had a high chance of winning, given the appreciation it has garnered from critics in the West. The team behind RRR, though, is trying to get nominations for it among the main award categories.
Only three films from India have till now made the final shortlist for the best international film award at the Oscars, officially called the Academy Awards: Mother India (1958), Salaam Bombay (1989) and Lagaan (2001).
Chhello Show
Chhello Show is directed by Pan Nalin, who had also directed critically-acclaimed films like Samsara, Valley of Flowers and Angry Indian Goddesses. The film stars Bhavin Rabari, Vikas Bata, Richa Meena, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval and Rahul Koli.
The film world-premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June last year. It won multiple awards on the festival circuit, including the Golden Spike at the 66th Valladolid Film Festival in Spain. In India, the film will release on October 14.
