The 17-member jury of Film Federation of India unanimously selected Pan Nalin’s 'Chello Show' for the Academy Awards; the decision has upset the netizens and movie buffs across the world.
SS Rajamouli's 'RRR' lost out to Pan Nalin's 'Chhello Show' in the race to be India's official entry to the Oscars. (Twittter)
The Film Federation of India (FFI) on Tuesday, 20 September, announced Chhello Show, a Gujarati coming-of-age drama, as India’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards 2023. The award ceremony will be held on 12 March 2023 in Los Angeles.
The FFI’s decision shocked the movie buffs across the world who were pinning hopes on SS Rajamouli’s RRR, Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files and R Madhavan’s Rocketry for India’s Oscar entry.
Soon after the FFI’s announcement, netizens took to social media to express their anger and disappointment. In fact, American media company Variety predicted Ram Charan Tej and Jr NTR-starrer RRR (Variance Films) as one of the possibilities for India’s Oscar entry for Best International Feature and Best Original Song.
The netizens vehemently criticised the FFI for snubbing Rajamouli’s epic blockbuster hit. Within minutes, #RRRforOscars started trending on social media. They’re even signing a petition demanding that RRR be made India’s official entry for Oscars 2023.
A petition demanding that ‘RRR’ be made India’s official entry for Oscars 2023. (South First)
Meanwhile, the action-adventure drama can still enter the Oscar race in the general category, the results of which will be announced on 21 December. In fact, the USA distributor of RRR is said to be launching a full awards campaign for the flick and is calling on the 10,000 Academy members to consider voting for the film in all categories, said a report in Variety.
Rajamouli’s RRR is estimated to have grossed nearly ₹1200 crore worldwide as of May 2022. It was the runner-up at the Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards held in July and has bagged three nominations for the Saturn Awards to be presented on 25 October.
Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined Film Federation of India ignoring #RRR for India’s official entry to the Oscars. One year when we stood a good chance with it. Moreover, wasn’t #ChhelloShow in contention last year? Didn’t one of the members rip it apart?
— Namrata Joshi (@Namrata_Joshi) September 20, 2022
#ChhelloShow Really didn’t expected it…
What audience want doesn’t matters for the #FFI… Just a movie based on poverty and
FFI be like : select it…#RRRForOscars is eligible and much better, I say just suspend this Film Federation of India Committee members.. #RRRMovie pic.twitter.com/3DRzUQzIf4— ABHISHEK RAJORA (@Abhishek98916) September 20, 2022
Ridiculous decision to send #ChhelloShow as the Indian entry for the Oscars. It is a self-indulgent movie that played to an empty cinema when I saw it at a festival. #RRRMovie and #JrNTR have generated so much buzz globally, and stood a real chance. ?#RRRForOscars
— Asjad Nazir (@asjadnazir) September 20, 2022
#ChhelloShow is a cheap copy of 1988 academy award winning film #cinemaparadiso , which has been selected over #RRR for #Oscars2023 is an blunder and biggest mistake by film federation of India and @MIB_India,Shame on the jury and system for wantedly ignoring @RRRMovie pic.twitter.com/USaZU0nPYD
— Nikhil ? (@Nikhill_1) September 20, 2022
Titled The Last Film Show in English, Chhello Show is directed by Pan Nalin. The movie revolves around nine-year-old Samay’s fascination with cinema. The boy loves to watch every film screened at the projection booth in his village Saurashtra. It is inspired by Pan Nalin’s own childhood memories.
It is produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur under Roy Kapur Films banner in collaboration with Jugaad Motion Pictures, Monsoon Films, Chhello Show LLP, and Marc Duale.
Chhello Show stars Bhavin Rabari, Bhavesh Shrimali, Richa Meena, Dipen Raval and Paresh Mehta in lead roles. While the flick is up for nationwide release on 14 October, it was already screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2021 and the 66th Valladolid Film Festival in Spain.
A 17-member jury of FFI unanimously chose Chhello Show as India’s official entry for the Academy Awards 2023.
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