Eklavya Makes It To The Oscars

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya has made it to the Oscars, as India’s nomination.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s multi-starrer movie got past films like ‘Chak de India’, ‘Guru’ and ‘Gandhi-My father’ to represent India in the foreign film category of the Oscars.

The Film Federation of India (FFI) Jury chairman filmmaker Vinod Pande said after a long and animated discussion, the jury members had to decide between ‘Eklavya’ and another film ‘Dharm’.

To a query on whether the decision was unanimous, Pande replied,” in the affirmative.

This is the third time Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra will be going to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His short non-fiction film, ‘An Encounter with Faces’ was one of the first Indian films to be nominated for an Oscar in 1980. In 1989, Parinda was sent to the Oscars as India’s official entry.

Commenting on the news, Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra said, ”I’m elated. But this was only the first battle. The real one is still ahead. I’m leaving for the US on October 2 and will start my groundwork there. I’m banking on my previous experiences at the Academy and the overwhelming support the film has received in the West. I hope to make India proud.”

However Eklavya’s nomination to the Oscar’s wasn’t welcomed by director of Dharm, Bhavna Talwar. A angry Bhavna said, “I won’t let this go. The Film Federation Of India is embarrassing not just the film industry but the country. Other than Lagaan and Shwaas, we’ve been sending the wrong films to the Oscars. I’ve seen Eklavya. I got bored. What was that ending about? What’s the film saying? Dharm has a much larger statement to make. At the Venice Film Festival, I was with Danny Houston and Michelle Yeoh. They loved Dharm. We went to the Palm Springs Festival, which is the precursor to the Oscars. Which significant festival has Eklavya gone to? A film may not be a matter of life and death, but come on, if we send films like Eklavya, they’re going to say we don’t know how to make films. Apart from big budgets and big stars, what does Eklavya have?”

Article Courtesy : UNI