Indian cinema is once again moving closer to the Oscars. Two Indian films, Kantara A Legend Chapter 1 and Tanvi The Great, have been added to the list of 201 movies that are eligible for the 98th Academy Awards Best Picture category.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences shared this list through Variety. These films met all the rules needed to qualify. This includes proper theatre releases in major US cities and filling out required forms about inclusion standards.
Kantara A Legend Chapter 1 is produced by Hombale Films and stars Rishab Shetty. The film tells the story of Daiva worship in Tulunadu and goes back to the time of the Kadamba dynasty. Rishab Shetty plays Berme, a man who protects the forest and the tribal people living there.
Tanvi The Great is directed by Anupam Kher. The film follows a young girl named Tanvi Raina who is inspired by her late father’s service in the Indian Army. She dreams of becoming a soldier herself. The story also shows her journey as a girl with autism. The film stars Shubhangi in the lead role along with Anupam Kher, Jackie Shroff, Boman Irani, and Karan Tacker.
Earlier, the Academy had also shared lists for other categories like Documentary, Animated Feature, and International Feature Film. Let’s also not forget that Homebound has been shortlisted in the 15 films competing with Best International Feature. It will be interesting to see if any among them qualifies.
The official Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22. Indian audiences now wait to see if these films move one step closer to winning an Oscar.