After Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, India’s official entry for the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards, exited the Oscars race, social media erupted with criticism.
FFI Jury head responds to criticism after Laapataa Ladies' exit from Oscars
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta and musician Ricky Kej were among those questioning the Film Federation of India’s (FFI) decision, suggesting that Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light would have been a stronger contender. Responding to the backlash, FFI jury head Jahnu Barua defended the selection of Kiran Rao’s film and criticised Payal Kapadia’s project, labeling it “poor technically.”
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Barua addressed the criticism, stating, “That is very uncalled for actually. Why should people say such things? It is very unfortunate. People should try to accept it as the jury’s decision. I have had many of my films go to many competitions, at some places they were awarded and at some places they failed to win. That doesn’t mean I should have a negative review of that process… We should be respectful towards the process.”
While Barua did not comment on why Laapataa Ladies failed to advance in the Oscars race, he urged critics to consider the rationale behind the jury’s decision. “People need to understand that it was a democratic process that one has to go through. And the country needs to accept whatever the verdict is,” he said.
Explaining the jury’s choice, Barua added, “The jury felt that the films which have gone to the Oscars in the last few years lacked Indian-ness. A film needs to represent the nation. We felt that Laapataa Ladies had all the right elements, and presented the social chaos we go through brilliantly.”
Commenting on Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, Barua remarked, “The jury felt that her film was very poor technically.”
Interestingly, All We Imagine As Light has received two nominations at the 2025 Golden Globes. The film is nominated in the Best Non-English Language Motion Picture category, while Payal Kapadia has secured a nomination for Best Director – Motion Picture.