Malayalam film Jallikattu was selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars 2021. Directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, the film is about a bull that escapes from a slaughterhouse, and village men keep running behind him to hunt him down. Rahul Rawail, the head of the jury at the Film Federation of India, spoke about the film’s selection and why Jallikattu is one of the best movies that can represent India and human values with a global appeal.
Speaking with Spotboye, Rawail mentioned that there are good movies being made in different languages and the jury selected Jallikattu because it ‘connects with every culture’. “After viewing many films in many Indian languages we found Jallikattu to satisfy all the requirements for eligibility. It is a film with deep roots in our culture. But it is also a universal story on the dehumanization of mankind when the beast within surfaces. In that sense, it’s a story that connects with every culture. It’s also technically very sophisticated,” he said.
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Rawail also talked about the jury not selecting mainstream dramas like Deepika Padukone’s Chhapaak and Amitabh Bachchan’s Gulabo Sitabo. He said that Jallikattu fit the best year. Rawail was quoted as saying, “Any filmmaker can send his film for consideration. It is their right to do so. We are within our rights to select the film we think most worthy. And this year it was Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Jallikattu. We of the jury saw the merits in Jallikattu to make it to the Oscars. The rest will depend on what the competition is.
Jallikattu’s selection as India’s choice for the International Film category at the Oscars met with cheers and applause. It’s a critically-acclaimed film starring Antony Varghese, Chemnban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad, and Santhy Balachandran among others.
