New Delhi, Sep 24 : Aamir Khan's "Peepli Live", a satire on media's trivialisation of farmers' suicide, has been selected as India's official entry at the next year's Oscars in the Best Foreign Film category. "'Peepli Live' has been selected as India's official entry for the Oscars out of 27 films," Supran Sen, secretary general of the Film Federation of India, told PTI.
Written and directed by debutant Anusha Rizvi, the small budget film stars theatre actors and was shot in a small village in Madhya Pradesh. Producer Aamir said he will ensure that the film is seen by the Academy members and will ensure that it gets a good publicity during the awards next year. "This is good news. I feel honoured and happy to be selected to represent my country. The film stands a very good chance. My congratulations to Anusha Rizvi and the entire team of Peepli Live," he said.
Co-director and Rizvi's husband Mehmood Farooqi said, "We are very happy for our first effort...But it is a very small step, we have to go a long way." Through the story of a landless farmer Natha (played by Omkar Nath Manikpuri), who decides to commit suicide to help his family qualify for government compensation scheme, the 102 minute film highlights the apathy of Indian politicians and media towards the grave issue.
This is third time lucky for Aamir Khan Production as the actor's previous films "Lagaan" (2001) and "Taare Zameen Par" (2007) were also selected to represent India at the Academy awards. "Laagan", which saw Aamir playing a farmer in British Raj, was shortlisted in a category of five but lost to Bosnian war film "No Man's Land". PTI
