The cinema has the ability to connect different cultures. The cinema has the ability to connect ideas beyond the borders. The cinema has the ability to appeal to viewers despite language constraints. This connectivity and reach have become much easier in the time of OTT. Good films are now accessed, viewed, and appreciated across the world. So, cine-lovers all over the world were keenly interested when the Academy Award announced nominations for Best International Feature Film of the year, previously known as Best Foreign Language Film. Again, the Indian official entry ‘Homebound’ could not be shortlisted.
Flashback: The Academy Award started the category of Best Foreign Language Film in 1947 and the first competitive awards were given in 1956. In 1957 India sent its first official entry – Mother India. The film was not only shortlisted but also went closest to winning the award. It lost by just one vote. That year, Mehboob Khan’s ‘Mother India’ lost to Federico Fellini’s ‘Nights of Cabiria’. Since then, India has been regularly sending the films to the Academy Awards. India sent more than 50 films after that, but only two got closer to Academy Awards.
The two other films shortlisted were Mira Nair’s ‘Salaam Bombay’ in 1988 and Ashutosh Gowarikar’s ‘Lagaan’ in 2001. It is interesting to note that Indian movies were quite impressive at the international stages in the early years. Chetan Anand’s ‘Neecha Nagar’ holds a historic place as the first Indian film to achieve major international recognition. It is the first Indian film to have won the Palme d’Or (then known as the Grand Prix) at the Cannes Film Festival in 1946. What is more ironic is that despite international acclaim, the film was never commercially released in India at the time of its completion due to its controversial social and political themes. Even the print of the film was considered lost for many years until the National Film archive of India found a copy and restored it. Later films like Satyajit Ray’s ‘Pather Panchali’ and Bimal Roy’s ‘Do Bigha Zameen’ did extremely well and received accolades at the various film festivals.
In the Best International Feature Film Category European dominance has been overwhelming accounting for approximately 80 percent of all winners. Since its inception in 1947 European countries have won the Award 59 times. Among the European nations Italy and France dominated. Italy has 14 wins followed by France’s 12. However, France received 42 nominations compared to Italy’s 33. Italy’s unmatched success in the Academy Award highlights the country’s filmmaking talent and marketing strategy. In the early years successes were because of two iconic directors: Federico Fellini and Vittorio De Sica, whose works not only captivated the Academy but also transformed global cinema. They rejected the studio production and preferred on-location filming. This idea not only captured the reality of devastated streets of Italy after the second World War but also showed human perseverance in a more realistic way. Business followed the arts. Producers carefully planned a strategy to impress the world audience. Significant among them are translating subtitles, organizing previews for voters, throwing parties, and using festivals like Cannes to create excitement.
Among Asian countries, Japan has won the highest number of Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category. Japan received five awards and a record 18 nominations. Iran follows with two wins, both directed by Asghar Farhadi, while countries like South Korea, with Parasite, and Taiwan, with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, have one win each. One major reason for Japan’s success is its long and respected film tradition, with legendary filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa, whose work and storytelling style deeply influenced the Western cinema. Like Italy, Japan also gained early international recognition in the 1950s through honorary awards, which helped build trust and prestige with the Academy. On the other hand, only five Latin American films have won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
So, what’s wrong with Indian movies? Why did India fail so miserably at the Oscars even after producing more than 1200 movies per year?
It’s not because of lack of talent but more because of lack of strategy and planning. There’s nothing organic about winning an Oscar. It’s about creating a buzz about the film. So, the first and most important is the visibility of Indian films. And the visibility in Hollywood is very expensive. The academy voting body consists of over 9,000 members. Members are predominantly American, with a smaller international contingent. It means producers must fund festivals, parties, and targeted outreach. Hollywood studios spend millions on screenings, ads, and lobbying to sway voters. Indian filmmakers, even the big ones, don’t match that muscle. Regional film producers lack that budget and network, so voters simply do not watch them.
Second, the submission process itself is a hurdle. India gets to submit only one film each year which is chosen by the Film Federation of India (FFI). The selection of films often sparks debate. Bollywood’s giants often dominate submissions. As a result, the submitted films are not the best contenders. Then there is also a content gap. The Indian films mostly built on star-driven stories with melodrama and song and dance sequences. It’s because of box-office success. The producers and financiers are more interested in producing 100 or 500 crores than international awards. Even the best of Indian talents bends to commercial pressures. Script development often receives less attention and investment compared to stars and visual spectacle. International standout films often weave tight, innovative stories with a fresh twist and universal appeal. For example, Inception (2010) took Christopher Nolan almost a decade to perfect. On the other hand, mainstream Indian films stick to safe, formulaic plots like romance, revenge, or family sagas.
These filmy elements don’t always translate well or appeal to Academy voters who are more accustomed to genre-focused, concise and restrained and sophisticated storytelling.
Lastly the Academy historically favoured European and North American cinema.
Even with efforts to diversify, their tastes lean toward films that fit Western storytelling norms. So, without a coordinated awards-oriented ecosystem, it’s very difficult for Indian films to create a real buzz for the award. However, the success of ‘All We Imagine As Light’ at Cannes and the worldwide popularity of a few Indian films indicate that a new wave of Indian cinema is emerging gradually. India does not lack great cinema; it does lack great campaigns. The success of South Korean films and web series can be seen as an example. Since the late 1990s South Korea has treated films as an instrument of soft power with careful strategy and a focused approach. So, if India focuses on strong storytelling, its movies can have better global appeal. With a clear and consistent festival strategy, Indian films can get wider recognition and improve their chances at the Oscars and other international festivals. Or the Academy Award will always be ‘coming soon.’
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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