Kangana Ranaut has openly criticised the Oscars’ film selection process, accusing it of favouring films that portray India in a negative light. Her comments came after Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan’s Laapataa Ladies failed to make the cut for the prestigious awards.
Anti-India Narrative At the Oscars
In an interview with Times Now, Kangana, who is currently promoting her film Emergency, expressed her dissatisfaction with the types of films typically chosen for the Oscars. She claimed that many Oscar-nominated films, including Slumdog Millionaire, often present India in a poor light. “Usually, the agenda they push for India is very different. The films that the Oscars pick are anti-India,” she stated. Kangana criticized a recent film that has received praise, noting that its director claimed that India lacks the freedom to love freely due to religious intolerance. Though she hasn’t seen the film, she asserted that the Oscars tend to favour stories that depict India as a “s**thole.”
Kangana Rejects Award Validation
Kangana went on to clarify that Emergency is not a film designed to fit the Oscar mold. She emphasised that the West is ready to see India in a new light, one that doesn’t align with the typical portrayal of the country in international cinema. “Emergency is not that film. The West is ready to see how India stands today,” she said. Despite her criticism of awards, Kangana expressed confidence in her film, stating, “It is a film that’s brilliantly made, and it is as good as any international film.” However, she acknowledged that due to geopolitics, people with nationalist views may not place much value on these awards.
About Emergency
Directed by and starring Kangana Ranaut, Emergency is a biographical action-drama about the 21-month Emergency period in India from 1975 to 1977 and its aftermath. Kangana portrays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the film, which also stars Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, Mahima Chaudhry, Milind Soman, and Satish Kaushik. Emergency is scheduled for theatrical release on January 17, following multiple delays.
