With Jallikattu long out of the Oscar race and Adarsh Gourav unable to double up his BAFTA nomination, Indians will cheer from the sidelines on cinema’s big night, come 26 April. Again. It’s a familiar feeling after all. Oscar glory has forever been elusive for Indian filmmakers. Getting nominated for Best Foreign Language Film — never mind Best Picture — has been a once-in-a-generation honour. It doesn’t mean our country’s film industry hasn’t produced a single movie worthy of Oscar recognition since Lagaan.
When films set in India have been recognised by the Academy, they have usually been helmed by non-Indian directors. Consider Ramin Bahrani, the Iranian-American director who has been nominated for ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’ for The White Tiger this year. Or Garth Davis, the Australian director behind 2017 Best Picture nominee Lion. Or Danny Boyle, the British director behind 2009 Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire.
Here’s where things get sticky, in a way which puts…