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Lagaan for Oscars; New Horizons for ARR?

Topic started by WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.131) on Sun Nov 4 10:51:50 EST 2001.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Lagaan has been unanimously chosen as India's entry for Oscars Foreign Film Category for 2002. It beat Monsoon Weddings and Asoka. Though this is not the first ARR movie to be chosen, with Jeans selected in 98, this is definitely a more credible choice.
Will this mark a new beginning or open up newer horizons for ARR? As ALW's Bombay Dreams is more a Broadway production, this may introduce ARR to Hollywood in a big way. Or will Lagaan just find itself piled in the garbage can, following the very first round of selections, as all past Indian entries have?

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: O_IS_G (@ 213.150.174.152) on: Sun Mar 24 05:31:43 EST 2002
  
  this one is mild.OK!
  
  
• From: Naaz (@ 24.76.127.63) on: Sun Mar 24 09:33:12 EST 2002
  
  OISG -
  Patritotism should not be confused with Partiality. As I have said earlier - If Lagaan wins tonight - I would only be happy to have been proven wrong. But my bets are on Amelie or No Man's Land. The publicity blitz for Amelie has been staggering...and the Oscars are about ADDED profits - we should all bear that in mind. Lagaan, FYI, has not even had a limited mainstream release in North America (whereas the other two movies I mentioned have and are still showing at theatres.) Lagaan is long gone even from the "indian" theatres in the 'burbs here...I am yet to see ONE ad. promoting Lagaan in the mainstream newspapers...And now it seems too late.
  
  Oscars and Excellence, huh? Now that is a whole new paradox! :-))
  
  
• From: ROTFL (@ 203.106.139.52) on: Sun Mar 24 09:33:33 EST 2002
  
  Welcome to the club Old Is Gold. :)
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Sun Mar 24 10:52:21 EST 2002
  
  Here's an article regarding the monetary benefits to Lagaan team from the Oscar nomination.
  http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/240302/dlnat19.asp
  
  Here's an excerpt:
  
  "But the aggressive campaign Aamir and director Ashutosh Gowariker have launched since December has already paid in dividends with many overseas distributors agreeing to bet their money for Lagaan.
  
  According to Aamir, Sony Classics has agreed to release the film in America for the mainstream audience while come May, Columbia Tristar would release it in Europe."
  
  Tho like Naaz pointed out, May is probably a weeny bit too late as far as influencing its Oscar chances are concerned, but at least it has got somewhere now thanks to the nomination.
  
  
• From: Shwetha (@ 172.181.50.219) on: Sun Mar 24 11:08:01 EST 2002
  
  Guys please remember that Lagaan has not been nominated for the oscars in the best soundtrack category. Whether it wins or not, the oscar will not have any reflection on ARR's contribution to the film
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Sun Mar 24 11:11:30 EST 2002
  
  O_IS_G:
  I think tat from a logical viewpoint Amelie is easily the winner, and probably deserves the Oscar more than Lagaan but wudnt we all love it if by some fluke Lagaan did win the Oscar? But i didnt know the situation in India was such that even pointing out that Amelie wud win is considered a crime...
  
  cosmician:
  talking about beauty pageants, I always thought it was a farce too, especially when Miss World was taken by India for 2 successive years. But again, somehow I cant help feeling that some of them, esp the first couple in 1994 deserved it.
  
  And tat naturally brings to our mind the question of whether we really think it deserves it or we jus simple want it to win to satisfy our 'patriotic thirst'.
  Wit Lagaan, obviously despite the patriotic thirst, I feel that it deserved to go as far as the nomination list and an Oscar will be simply a bonus but not a must.
  
  Naaz, well said. (your last line)
  
  magix, good luck for ur remaining papers. :-)
  (ROTFL: jus establishing my membership rights :-)).
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Sun Mar 24 11:35:20 EST 2002
  
  Shwetha,
  I feel that ARR's contribution to the movie is part of a team effort. We have long since stopped singling out ARR's efforts with respect to the Oscars. Tho due to the nature of this forum and this thread, more attention has been paid to him naturally than to other members of the crew. I think Oscars doesnt have any reflection on the merits of the film like Naaz pointed out in an earlier post. If it's a good film, then that's what it is. An Oscar is a bonus which can be cherished if it is won, but not winning it doesnt make a movie bad nor wud it reflect poorly upon those who contributed to it.
  Hence u were right in saying "the oscar will not have any reflection on ARR's contribution to the film"...but u can extend that to include Gowarikar, Aamir and the whole cast and crew.
  In other words, u can even rephrase that as "the oscar will not have any reflection on the film"
  ARR's contibution tho part of a team effort, is striking in that the movie is generally recognised as a musical.
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Sun Mar 24 11:44:13 EST 2002
  
  typo:
  ARR's contribution (last line)
  
  btw, i'll be away when the results r announced, so if anyone's free pls update wit the results and if possible a description of the scene selected.
  
  
• From: cosmician (@ 195.229.241.244) on: Sun Mar 24 12:05:30 EST 2002
  
  >>ARR's contibution tho part of a team effort, is striking in that the movie is generally recognised as a musical.<<
  
  WhyNot...
  
  But don't you think that any Indian film with songs had it made it to the Oscars would have been called a musical ?
  
  
• From: kk (@ 172.175.91.51) on: Sun Mar 24 13:48:18 EST 2002
  
  cosmician,
  
  Muscials are there in hollywood for years, I dont think they get any inspiration from indian movies. It might be slightly different thats all.
  Even much recent grease, saturday night fever had song and dances. Only sites like rediff claim hollywood is inspired by indian films and all that. BTW webber is not making a movie, its a stage musical, which he is doing for years. Its nothing like he is making songs and dances for the first time. This time his he is making it in a different turf, thats all. Glorifing indian movies just for songs and dances is realy funny.
  
  Movies are just movies, we need not make it political by saying 3rd world, acceptance etc. I have seen movies made by bosnia, mexico etc, which are realy good ( in sense of entertainment too ) which are popular in developed contries too. Even ismail merchant movies are available in my small neighborhood library. There is good set of audience for all kinds of movies.
  
  
• From: Oscaradamus (@ 65.59.10.237) on: Sun Mar 24 15:31:52 EST 2002
  
  My guesses for oscar 2002: (for a long time not based solely on merit, but marketting,politics etc.. just like Miss World competitions)
  
  Lagaan - best foreign film (to give hopes to the hungry and the poor of the world!)
  Denzel - Actor (that snake crow is time he got kicked out)
  Lord of the rings - (to satisfy the sentiments of the american people. God bless America)
  of Beatufil Mind - director
  Kidman (unfortunately this creepy thing may make it ) - actress
  
  usually, a couple of movies would corner the oscars, but this year it could be different, because no single movies is worth anything. but, if there is favoritism, then very likely moulin rouge could provide surprises or it could be lord of the rings.
  
  
• From: no jalra (@ 61.11.74.10) on: Sun Mar 24 23:41:06 EST 2002
  
  Lagaan Loses Out to No Man's Land in the Best Foreign Language Film Category
  
  
• From: no jalra (@ 61.11.74.10) on: Sun Mar 24 23:42:42 EST 2002
  
  now all raaja rasigargal will be happy
  
  
• From: S (@ 128.107.253.44) on: Sun Mar 24 23:52:51 EST 2002
  
  that's unwarranted no_jalra....
  In any case lagaan wasn't nominated for the Best Original score (are foreign movies eligible to compete in that category ?? - if negative, how then did tan-dun get it for his phenomenal score in CTHD ?)...No reasons for Raja fans to get upset/happy....But yes, this gives a good oppurtunity for gossip mongers like u to get some attention:-)
  
  
• From: Le Gone (@ 65.102.246.103) on: Sun Mar 24 23:57:24 EST 2002
  
  http://www.oscar.com/oscarnight/winners/winners_list.html
  Lagaam Lost
  
  
• From: cosmician (@ 194.170.127.161) on: Mon Mar 25 00:16:35 EST 2002
  
  kk
  
  Movies have a political, social, spiritual dimensions apart from entertainment....
  
  How do you think MGR held such a sway over TN masses ? Why do you think the American Govt. is investing heavily in war-propaganda films post Sep 11 - Behind Enemy Lines, Black Hawk Down to name a few...I could go on but I digress...
  
  Films are a powerful force that can shape whole societies IMO
  
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Mon Mar 25 05:12:38 EST 2002
  
  no jalra, tat was so typical of u.
  
  I'm more surprised tat Amelie did not win the foreign film award. In fact even more surprised Amelie did not win in any of the 5 categories it was nominated for. Tat reminds me of the article I mentioned last week in this thread, about a huge backlash that was building up against Amelie.
  
  No Man's Land also won the Golden Globe for foreign film and was considered the second contendor next to Amelie. So it's not a surprise it landed the Oscar.
  
  btw, did anyone watch the telecast of the ceremony, and can tell us which scene was screened from Lagaan and who were present?
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 213.150.174.152) on: Mon Mar 25 05:38:40 EST 2002
  
  Oscaradamus
  
  Snake crowe is left out and Denzel has won.Atleast you "damus" left nothing for intrepretations!.. and you r right!
  
  Naaz i have changed my opinion about Oscars after your convincing and rational postings.My posting, at best, was a case of expression of wishful thinking!
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Mon Mar 25 05:43:06 EST 2002
  
  cosmician, I agree wit u about the Bollywood influence on Hollywood, especially when considering Moulin Rouge.
  I've read tat the director of Moulin Rouge, Baz Luhrmann, actually spent several months visiting India and in a speech once, broke away from his topic to ask the baffled audience if anyone had watched Lagaan (apparently one Indian woman there raised her hand). Tis was long before Lagaan was nominated for the Oscars. He has openly admitted being inspired by Bollywood musicals.
  
  Here's an article.
  http://www.masala.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=showArticleNew&article_id=3493&ss=mvn
  
  I agree tat any Indian film nominated for the Oscar wud have been called a musical wit exceptions. If Hey Ram had been nominated for Oscars it wudn't have been called a musical as kamal chopped off the song & dance numbers before sending it in for consideration. I'm glad the Lagaan team had enuf confidence in themselves to preserve the Indian essence.
  
  
• From: Ramki (@ 161.150.2.250) on: Mon Mar 25 07:52:26 EST 2002
  
  WhyNot- they showed 'oh re chori' song - a one second close upshot of Aamir and Gracy
  
  American media(television)totally ignored the foreign nominees. Aamir(dressed in complete black) was seen when they showed Julia Roberts arrival. Similarly Ashutosh(in complete white) was see standing few yards away when Julia was being interviewed.
  
  

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