India’s official submission for the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards, ‘Laapataa Ladies’, has been eliminated from contention. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) released the shortlist of 15 films competing for a spot in the final nominations, and the Hindi film, directed by Kiran Rao, did not make the cut, PTI reported.

The exclusion of ‘Laapataa Ladies’ marks a disappointment for India’s bid to secure a place in one of the most prestigious categories at the Oscars. The film, which garnered significant attention domestically, was anticipated to represent the nation’s cinematic prowess on the global stage.

While ‘Laapataa Ladies’ is out of the race, there’s a silver lining for Indian representation at the Oscars through British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s ‘Santosh’. The film, starring Indian actors Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, has been shortlisted in the category, representing the United Kingdom.

The shortlist features a diverse range of entries from various countries, including France’s ‘Emilia Pérez’, Brazil’s ‘I’m Still Here’, Canada’s ‘Universal Language’, Czech Republic’s ‘Waves’, Denmark’s ‘The Girl with the Needle’, and Germany’s ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’. These films will now compete to secure one of the five final nominations in the Best International Feature category.

While India’s hopes of an Oscar nod with ‘Laapataa Ladies’ may have ended this year, the presence of Indian talent in other shortlisted films continues to highlight the growing global influence of Indian cinema and artists.