Aamir Khan’s production Laapataa Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao, has been eliminated from the Oscars 2025 race. Renamed Lost Ladies for international audiences, it was India’s official entry for the Best International Feature category. However, when the Academy announced its shortlist, the film failed to advance. This news sparked reactions online, with Grammy-winner Ricky Kej criticizing the selection, saying that while the film was well-made, it wasn’t suitable for such a competitive category.
Kej expressed that India repeatedly makes poor choices when selecting Oscar entries, favoring mainstream Bollywood films over artistic cinema that might better appeal to international voters. He also suggested that the promotional poster may not have made the right impression. Kej emphasized that India’s selections should prioritize artistic merit over budget or star power to enhance the country’s chances at the Oscars.
Out of 85 eligible entries, only 15 films made the shortlist for the Best International Feature category. Though Laapataa Ladies missed out, the Hindi-language film Santosh, produced in the UK, secured a place. Notable Indian contenders this year included Animal, Aattam, and All We Imagine As Light, the latter gaining recognition with nominations at the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards 2025. Despite vigorous promotion by Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao through special screenings in the U.S., Laapataa Ladies did not progress.
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