'Chhello Show': 10 Facts About India's Official Entry To Oscars 2023

Chhello Show narrates the tale of a nine-year-old boy who is captivated by an enchanting light and shadow show.

10 Facts About 'Chhello Show', India's Official Entry To Oscars 2023

Source : Twitter/@PanNalin

New Delhi: Gujarati film Chello Show is India’s official entry to the 95th Academy Awards, The Film Federation of India announced on Tuesday. The film, called ‘Last Film Show’ in English, has defeated the likes of SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster RRR, Sajimon Prabhakar’s Malayankunju and Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files to bag a nomination for the prestigious awards. The Gujarati drama will represent India in the Best International Feature Film category.

Chhello Show, based on the maker Pan Nalin’s own childhood memories, is set in Gujarat’s Saurashtra. It narrates the tale of a nine-year-old boy who is captivated by an enchanting light and shadow show lying behind celluloid film projection, bringing to centre-stage the ending culture of single-screen cinema and 35mm celluloid films in India.

The film starring Bhavin Rabari, Bhavesh Shrimali, Richa Meena, Dipen Raval and Paresh Mehta in lead roles, is all set to hit select screens across the country on October 14, 2022.

Here are some interesting facts about Chhello Show:

1. The film Chhello Show premiered at the Spotlight section on June 10, 2021 at the 20th Tribeca Film Festival and was the first Gujarati film to make it to the selections. 
   
   
2. The filmmaker, Pan Nalin, is an international filmmaker who is best known for award winning films like Angry Indian Goddesses, Valley of Flowers, Ayurveda: Art of Being and Samsara, his debut film — which won awards at AFI Fest and Melbourne International Film Festival.
   
   
3. Chhello Show was shot in villages and railway junctions in Saurashtra, Gujarat and its cast is made mostly of child actors from local communities.
   
   
4. The film was shot in March 2020, just before the Covid-19-induced lockdown in India and the post-production of the film was completed during the pandemic.
   
   
5. The film will also be released in Germany, Spain, Japan, Israel and Portugal, apart from India.
   
   
6. Chhello Show was nominated for the Tiantan Awards at the 11th Beijing International Film Festival which was held in September 2021.
   
7. Pan Nalin’s Chhello Show also won the Golden Spike for Best Film at the 66th Valladolid Film Festival in October, 2021.
   
8. Samuel Goldwyn Films serves as international distributor of the film for the U.S. and Orange Studio for the European markets.
   
   
9. Legendary Shochiku Studios serves as the Japanese distributor of the film and Medusa will take the Last Film Show (Chhello Show) to Italian cinemas.
   
   
10. The film is produced by Roy Kapur Films, Jugaad Motion Pictures, Monsoon Films, Chhello Show LLP, and Marc Duale.