Exclusive: Why Chhello Show became India’s official entry for Oscars 2023

The Government of India has no role in forming the jury and it is the apex body of film unions that decides on the Oscar entry. As per the rule, no office-bearer of any trade body of a film craft can be on the jury and no one can be part of it for a second time. The jury’s decision is conveyed to the Academy directly and not through the Union information and broadcasting ministry, Kottarakara clarified.

Who were part of film jury from South India?

From the South, cinematographer Sangeeth Sivan, National Award recipient TS Nagabharana (winner of 10 National Awards and director of 36 films), Santhana Bharathi (director of National Award-winning Tamil film Mahanadhi), filmmaker Pawan Wadeyar, and actor Pramila Joshai were part of the FFI jury.

Pawan Wadeyar directed the Kannada film Googly, in which Yash and Kriti Kharbanda starred. A runaway hit, it was remade in multiple languages. Pramila Joshai made her acting debut in the Tamil film Vaidehi Kathirunthal (1984). She won the National Award for the Kannada film Thaayi, which she bankrolled.

Malayalam film composer M Jayachandran backed out of the screenings at the last moment due to health issues. All the jury members unanimously agreed that Chhello Show was a heartwarming film made on movies and hence should be India’s entry for the Oscars, Ravi said.

All the jury members unanimously agreed that Chhello Show was a heartwarming film (Facebook/Last Film Show)

The film focuses on the role projectors play in our lives and the advent of the digital era. It ends on an optimistic note.

RRR, 2 more South films were in Oscar race

Shyam Singha Roy and RRR (Telugu), and Fahad Faasil’s Malyankunju (Malayalam) were the three films from the South that were in the race for the Oscars. A man like Nagabharana, who headed the selection panel, cannot be pressurised to nominate a Gujarati film. Moreover, in 2014 too, a Gujrati film was sent for Oscars, Ravi averred.

“The jury that selects the flicks for Oscar entry is only one and has no two layers like for National Awards. For the National Awards, the South jury shortlists and sends the films to the main panel for the final decision,” he added.

Even before the Indian jury’s decision, the makers of RRR had decided to actively canvass for the Oscars in various categories.

In a recent Q&A after the film’s screening in the US, RRR director SS Rajamouli shared his views on the movie’s probability of winning an Oscar by saying: “Whether RRR wins an Oscar or not, my plan for the next film is not going to change. Oscar will be a real boost for morale for the (film’s) unit and the country itself, but that’s not going to change the way I work.”