In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao opened up about their efforts to get Laapataa Ladies noticed at the Oscars. After a gap of 14 years since Aamir Khan’s production of Peepli Live was sent as India’s official submission, Laapataa Ladies has been chosen as the country’s entry for the International Feature Film category at the 2024 Academy Awards. Directed by Kiran Rao, the film marks a significant moment in both their careers as they tackle the intense, competitive world of Oscar campaigning once again.
Strategy for Getting the Film Noticed
Aamir Khan shared insights into the mechanics behind the selection and promotion of a film for the Oscars. He explained that for the International Films and Documentary categories, the Academy forms separate committees that are responsible for watching and shortlisting films. The challenge, according to Aamir, is ensuring these committee members actually watch the films they are assigned. “The catch is that they commit to watching 80 percent of the films assigned to them, and we have to ensure that we get them to watch our film,” Khan said.
Kiran Rao added that while many films are available online for the Academy members to watch, the chances of a film being overlooked remain high unless significant efforts are made to generate buzz. “The chances of your film being left in the left-out list is quite high despite almost all our films being available online,” said Rao. “So, we have to generate the buzz through various screenings to ensure people watch our films.”
The Evolution of the Oscar Campaign
Reflecting on the campaign for Lagaan in 2002, Aamir Khan recounted how strict the process was back then. “Neither Ashutosh Gowariker nor I were allowed to attend screenings. We had to stay out, and all we offered to those who watched our films were tea, coffee, and biscuits,” Khan revealed. He underscored that the most important task back then was ensuring that the committee members watched the film. “That was the biggest task,” Aamir reiterated.
While online screenings have made things easier in modern times, Kiran emphasized the importance of live screenings to make a lasting impression on the Academy members. She explained that campaigning for an Oscar film has become a big-budget endeavor, as it involves building a strong profile for both the film and the people behind it. “You will have to build your profile and the film’s profile by generating the required hype and sound. That is why campaigning becomes a major share of your budget,” said Kiran, who previously directed Dhobi Ghat.
Lobbying and the Misconceptions Around It
Aamir Khan also addressed the common misconception around “lobbying” for the Oscars. He clarified that in India, people often assume that gifting or offering bribes is part of the process. However, he emphasized that the real effort lies in ensuring that the film gets the visibility it needs to be seen by the right people. “In India, people feel that you have to give gifts, that doesn’t happen. I am just explaining because lobbying is a very vague word. It can mean anything,” he said.
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