In-focus

Entertainment

Is Barfi the right choice for Oscars?

Dunya News

Do you think Barfi is the right choice as India's official entry for the Academy Awards?

The decision was taken at a Film Federation of India meeting in Hyderabad on Saturday night. Produced by UTV Motion Pictures, Barfi is an uncommon love story, set in 1970s Bengal, of a deaf-and-mute guy (portrayed by Ranbir Kapoor) and an autistic girl (played by Priyanka Chopra).We are honoured that Barfi has been selected to represent India as its official entry to the Academy Awards 2013.Barfi is very close to the hearts of all of us at UTV, and it gives us great satisfaction that a film we have developed and nurtured from its inception has met with so much love from audiences and critics worldwide, Siddharth Roy Kapur, managing director - Studios, Disney UTV, said in a statement.We knew that we were making a good film. But the kind of love Barfi has already got is amazing, Ranbir told HT in an interview. Some would say that this puts Ranbir in a whole new league. We wonder if theres any pressure now to pick certain kind of films.When I start a film, I never think of how much it will earn. I only want to do films that will entertain people, Ranbir continues.For the category of Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars this year, the Film Federation of India had shortlisted 17 films out which 11 were from Bollywood.The shortlist included some critically acclaimed movies such as Paan Singh Tomar, Kahaani, The Dirty Picture and Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 & 2 among others. Bollywood faced stiff competition from 6 Regional films. SS Rajamoulis Eega was a huge contender. It is one of the most critically and commercially successful films of the year.The Film Federation of India has made the selection and sent Barfi as that movie which might end Indias quest of the Holy Grail at the Oscars.The list of 17 films that battled it out to be the chosen knight are:Eega (Telugu)7am Arivu (Tamil)Vazhakku Enn 18/9 (Tamil)Akasathinte Niram (Malayalam)Heroine (Hindi)Paan Singh Tomar (Hindi)Kahaani (Hindi)Barfi (Hindi)GoW - part 1 & 2 (Hindi)Arjun - The Warrior Prince (Hindi)Gattu (Hindi)Jalpari (Hindi)The Dirty Picture (Hindi)Ferrari Ki Sawari (Hindi)Deool (Marathi)Veer Hamirji - Somnath Ni Sakhate (Gujarati)Anhey Ghore Da Daan (Punjabi)