'Laapata Ladies' to be India's official entry for Oscars 2025

Filmmaker Kiran Rao’s Laapata Ladies has been unanimously chosen by the executive committee of the Film Federation of India as India's entry into Oscars 2025 for the best International Film category.

The film shot againt a rural backdrop beat 29 other films including Kalki 2898 AD and Malayalam film Aatam in India's race to be selected to represent India in the 2025 Oscars.

Kiran Rao had expressed his desire for the movie to be chosen last week saying, "My dream would be realized if it went (to the Oscars). But there is a process, and I'm hoping that it will be considered. I'm confident that the best film will be chosen, regardless of who's it is."

The film had a theatrical release on March 1, 2024. The cast included Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan and Chhaya Kadam. Laapata Ladies was shot in Madhya Pradesh, in the villages of Bamuliya and Dhamankheda. It also featured local villagers as secondary characters and was shot in real houses. Following it's initial release, the film experienced positive feedback from critics and movies goers alike.