Bong Joon Ho, the filmmaker, put South Korean cinema on the map with 'Parasite'. When the movie won four awards at the Oscars 2020, it was the world's introduction to regional cinema in the country. The underrated gems, the storytelling finesse and the relevance of movies beyond the surface created space for Asian representation beyond the usual 'side-kick' character tropes.
Indian cinema, however, has failed to share the same fate. The Indian film industry is one of the largest in the world with the number of films produced each year, averaging about 1500 to 2000. Every year, our absence in major award categories, speaks volumes about the narrative of making Indian Cinema popular across the globe. So are we just making 'mediocre' movies or have a complicated 'selection' process?
The Fault in Our 'Stars'
Indian cinema is not just BOLLYWOOD.
And we have only started to wake up to this fact. Regional cinema, especially from the South has gained traction in recent times with increased visibility, thanks to the likes of movies like 'RRR' and 'Baahubali'.
Last year, 'RRR' won an Oscar for 'Naatu Naatu' for Best Original Song. However, an Indian movie is yet to make it to even the nomination list of Best International Feature Film. The fault, if at all is not simply the quality of the movies we make, but also the 'lobbying' culture in many award categories. Parasite had a marketing campaign for major award categories, that Indian movies lack. Our pick for 2020, a regional Malayalam film called Jallikattu, barely had a budget worth Parasite's lobbying rally for the Academy Awards.
The Selection Process
Before the usual committee that selects movies and sends them to the Oscars, there is a study of patterns that emerge from the movies selected in the previous year's Oscar nominations. There is an undercurrent theme to it all, and as is the case, we pander to it.
India has had only 3 instances of securing a spot in the Best Foreign Film Category. Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali was an exploration of rural poverty in India. Lagaan and Mother India were the other two movies that made it to the list. There is a similar theme across all the movies- the depiction of the country as poor, recovering from the ravages of India's colonisation.
It's about time we stop trying to cater to foreign perceptions of the country. India from Ray's time has come a long way. We are no longer a nation of 'slumdogs' becoming millionaires.
What's in store for Oscar 2025?
Our cinema should reflect the pulse of our changing times. India is the 5th largest growing economy in the world, surpassing its colonisers. We have come a long way from Ray's India. This is not to say that we should not show the reality of widespread inequality among the people. But that's one aspect that every nation across the world faces.
The Indian story is unique. Maybe its time our cinema reflects that. And so do our Oscar picks.
It's all about careful marketing after all, isn't it?
