Just a few days before the Oscars 2025, Aamir Khan opened up about Laapataa Ladies being out of the race. Kiran Rao’s light-hearted comedy, which carries a deep social message, was chosen as India’s official Oscar entry for the Best International Feature Film this year. Aamir Khan, one of the producers of the film, expressed his disappointment that it didn’t make it to the Oscars shortlist during an event organized by ABP Network.
Addressing the issue of the film missing the mark, Aamir Khan emphasized that the panel has its own way of choosing films. He stated that not being selected for the Oscars does not discredit the film’s merit. “It was a beautiful film, and there was no shortage on fronts. Even this time, there were almost 80-85 entries from different parts of the world, and everyone sends in their best film, right? In fact, this category has the toughest competition in the Oscars,” he remarked.
Laapataa Ladies is set in the countryside and tells the story of two lost brides and a confused groom. The film tackles issues such as women’s emancipation, patriarchy, and women’s education in a light-hearted manner. Reflecting on the snub, Aamir Khan said, “Honestly, we have to understand that there are other language films that might have been genuinely better, or let me put it this way… films that the members liked better. It doesn’t mean we weren’t good… and it just means the members liked the other films better than ours. This is a very subjective decision.”
He further challenged the idea of comparing films by posing an intriguing question: “Okay, now you tell me which is the better film between Mother India and Mughal-e-Azam? Which film had better acting? How would you compare? That’s why I am saying it is all subjective. It isn’t like a race where the start point and end point is the same. Filmmaking and creative mediums, in general, are very different. These are very personal choices and very difficult to choose. So, don’t take it too seriously.”
Laapataa Ladies features a fresh cast, including Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastav, and Chhaya Kadam, with a powerful cameo by veteran actor Ravi Kishan. The film was released in theaters on March 1, 2024, and was applauded by critics and audiences alike, gaining traction through word-of-mouth. Aamir Khan’s candid insights shed light on the subjective nature of film selection, reflecting on the unpredictability of cinematic recognition.
