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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: Naaz (@ 24.76.127.63) on: Sat Mar 2 10:27:58 EST 2002
  
  Lagaan's odds of winning the Oscars are remote. This has nothing to do with the merits of the film (which are fine and noteworthy.) It has to do with the "marketing" junket that hits the academy (and the papers) here in North America. So far, most of the other "mainstream" foreign nominations have printed FULL-Page promotions in NY times LA times and Variety. Lagaan's makers have not even put out a quarter page ad. Secondly, the Oscars, these days, are more and more about box-office revenue (and international screening/video rights) and less about artistic merit/influence. The Oscars (for best film and best foreign film) are aimed at selling more tickets and more videos/DVDs.
  ARR/Gowrikar/Khan are no match (no pun) for the media-machinery and the cash-flow of other nominated producers. Lagaan's loss (which looks certain - and I would be glad to be proven wrong) will not mean anything, really. If it is a good film - it will still be a good film - without the Oscars. So, let's celebrate that fact - and recognise the Oscars for what they REALLY are. Money, Money, Money. (Interestingly enough Lagaan is about Money. Have they translated the film title to Tarriff? :-))
  
  
• From: Bhuvan (@ 202.9.167.109) on: Sun Mar 3 04:54:42 EST 2002
  
  Lagaan is ranked #4 in 'Films Most Seen' category of http://www.filmfestivals.com
  
  Click link below for the Lagaan page
  http://www.filmfestivals.com/cgi-bin/fest_content/festivals.pl?debug=&channelbar=&fest=oscars&partner=&page=films&year=2002&lang=en&type=1&film_id=3322
  
  
• From: Indian (@ ) on: Tue Mar 19 11:01:30 EST 2002
  
  Oscar Watch considers Lagaan as "Threatening to upset" in its predictions for Oscars. This is a very heartening development for all Indians, especially Lagaan fans, since this puts Lagaan in third spot among the nominees and a serious contender for the award. Let us wish that Lagaan will bring home the Oscars to India.
  
  
• From: Indian (@ 203.197.150.254) on: Tue Mar 19 11:03:30 EST 2002
  
  FROM http://www.oscarwatch.com
  
  
  Best Foreign Film:
  
  Amelie* - Predicted winner*
  No Man's Land * - Possible Spoiler*
  Elling
  Lagaan* - Threatening to upset*
  Son of the Bride
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Tue Mar 19 11:18:22 EST 2002
  
  I read somewhere tat wit all the lobbying tat's been going on by contenders for the other categories, a huge backlash has been building up against Amelie as it's a nominee for several other categories apart from Foreign Film. Tat may be the upsetting factor.
  I'll try to find tat article.
  However I still think it's pretty tough. It's got to be really 'upsetting' if Lagaan wins.
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Tue Mar 19 11:21:04 EST 2002
  
  btw, Oscarwatch.com also predicted correctly tat lagaan wud be nominated for foreign film.
  
  
• From: Ramone (@ 216.196.152.100) on: Thu Mar 21 06:42:53 EST 2002
  
  Read this article about musical score nominees for Oscar.
  
  http://slate.msn.com/?id=2063386
  
  
• From: cosmician (@ 194.170.127.161) on: Thu Mar 21 07:37:12 EST 2002
  
  Ramone...
  
  the author doesn't have a broad listening interest..he's just another one of those short-sighted biased journalists...(of course i'd say that as he has ignored an Indian movie totally !!!)
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Thu Mar 21 08:28:27 EST 2002
  
  Ramone,
  thx for the link.
  
  cosmician, if u feel tat a journalist is short-sighted for ignoring an Indian film, then u must admit tat majority of journalists r short-sighted.
  Alot of them r very biased in fact. Over here, in the West Australian paper (staple newspaper in Perth), no mention was made of foreign films nominated. Somewhere else, I read a biased little article condemning the Oscar nominations in general for tis year wit a sentence like "and a 4 hour Indian film about cricket was nominated". The context of the sentence was such tat the statement was made in much disgust, though it was obvious tat the author of tat article hadn't watched Lagaan nor heard anything about it.
  
  
• From: Ramone (@ 192.44.136.103) on: Thu Mar 21 11:52:27 EST 2002
  
  WhyNot, cosmician:
  
  Get used to it...fact: Oscars is just a night to showcase Hollywood movies and acts as an advertisement to the industry world wide. In fact, if you go back and see why the awards were instituted, you will realize this. Somewhere down the line, they threw in a "Foreign film" award to keep others happy. Do not get excited/upset if Lagaan wins/loses. Doesnt really matter one way or other.
  
  
• From: Ramone (@ 192.44.136.103) on: Thu Mar 21 11:54:10 EST 2002
  
  btw, cosmician, whats wrong with the article? As far as I know, "Lagaan" has not been nominated for best music score category, has it? why so upset?
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Thu Mar 21 18:52:44 EST 2002
  
  Ramone, I dont think u get the idea. I'm not complaining cos I want Lagaan to win. In fact, I have stated quite clearly that I dont think it is likely to win the Oscar. cosmician and I were discussing the bias of media when they know it's an Indian movie, and this is not the first time we're discussing the media bias of the west, eh cosmician?.
  :-)
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Fri Mar 22 06:32:55 EST 2002
  
  "Chennai has never seen such kind of Oscar fever..... At various shooting spots of Tamil films also the topic of discussion is-Will Aamir Khan get an Oscar? Aamir had done all his post production work of Lagaan in Chennai. He and his technical crew had stayed at the downmarket Hotel Aaditya in Kodambakkam. Aamir used to travel along with director Ashutosh in an auto rickshaw to Rahman’s studio in Ashok Nagar. Added to that the first copy of the film was screened in Satyam Theatre in Chennai by Aamir to get the DTS feel in a regular theatre. During his stay in Chennai for more than a month he had charmed quite a few people who are now praying that the down-to-earth actor gets the Oscar!"
  
  Source: Sify Movies
  
  
• From: kk (@ 172.169.85.104) on: Fri Mar 22 22:49:05 EST 2002
  
  
  I dont understand, why as indians we have to support lagaan? Its is just a movie not sport? have you guys seen the other contenders? Its natural but this is not place for patriotism.
  
  
• From: cosmician (@ 194.170.127.161) on: Sat Mar 23 00:07:06 EST 2002
  
  WhyNot...i get the point :-)
  
  KK...the point is this...if we are so open-minded about Hollywood films and Hollywood espoused culture etc....can't we at least expect a balanced view from these reviewers ?
  
  Hollywood wants its films to do well in the global markets but it doesn't bother about films from the 3rd World ? That is sheer arrogance but they can't keep this up much longer...with burgeoning Indian and Chinese populations in the US - movies from Asia are making a foray into these markets like never before...and this is only the beginning !!
  
  And just the other day I read that musicals are becoming popular once again in the west...and the signs are definitelyu there - Moulin Rouge for starters....and they can definitely learn from us about musicals - our bread and butter ! And they will come to us...Andrew Lloyd Webber discovered it from Maniratnam...he was inspired by the song and dance sequences on the train in Dil Se...
  Wait and watch....!!!!
  
  
• From: cosmician (@ 194.170.127.161) on: Sat Mar 23 00:18:25 EST 2002
  
  Ramone and WhyNot...
  
  To be honest with you guys...I haven't seen the film yet...I skipped it...I hate cricket that was one of the reasons...but hope to see it here in Dubai..it is still showing at one of the cinemas here !
  
  >>>showcase Hollywood movies and acts as an advertisement to the industry world wide. In fact, if you go back and see why the awards were instituted, you will realize this. Somewhere down the line, they threw in a "Foreign film" award to keep others happy.<<<
  
  Strange...I used to think the same of these Beauty paegants and when some of our Indian gals won in quick succession..I dismissed those as tricks to tap Indian markets by MNCs..but I am not so sure when I chanced to see the finals where Yukta Mookhey projected herself very intellignetly and maturely than all the other competitors ! So it does take brains too !
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 213.150.174.152) on: Sat Mar 23 07:56:56 EST 2002
  
  In India patriotism has peculiar intrepretations.I also second KK s view.First the Beauty queen contests now Oscar...
  
  The MNCs and the Ad agencies are making mockery of patriotism.
  
  I saw with horror ,a banner in chennai in a street
  corner " Gandhi Jayanthi Rummy tournament".
  Mera Bharat Kahan?
  
  
• From: magix (@ 203.199.231.83) on: Sat Mar 23 08:40:10 EST 2002
  
  OISG..
  what happened to ur underscores!?
  
  
• From: cosmician (@ 194.170.127.161) on: Sat Mar 23 09:25:50 EST 2002
  
  OISG...
  
  The world is becoming a mechanised factory...like it or not ! Patriotism is only a marketing tool used to push products churned out...
  
  
• From: WhyNot (@ 203.24.100.132) on: Sat Mar 23 10:58:33 EST 2002
  
  kk, there is no obligation to be patriotic or to want the Indian movie to win. However like u urself mentioned, it is natural. For most, it's simply a spontaneous reaction.
  will add more later..
  
  
• From: O_IS_G (@ 213.150.174.152) on: Sun Mar 24 04:01:47 EST 2002
  
  YNOT,
  Lagan was a good effort and if it gets an award then everyone should be happy,for a good effort should always be recognised.But if there is a better entry then there should be no complaints.
  
  I think the real situation in india is if someone says that Amelie will get the award then he will get branded as unpatriotic.(Naaz! you are carrying this risk!)That is comedy on the surface with a deep tragedy beneath.
  
  Setting aside the allegations and counter-allegations against Oscars,if real excellance gets the award i will be really happy.It should send better signals to the film makers globally.
  
  Magix,you have an eye for details boy!Hope you showed the same alacrity in your exams!
  
  
• From: magix (@ 203.199.231.72) on: Sun Mar 24 05:13:20 EST 2002
  
  thanx.. but not u too.
  every1's been mildly and sometimes real harshly hinting me to study!
  
  

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