`The Oscars is an American awards function which honours the cinematic achievements in the film industry. No other cinema awards ceremony is considered to be as prominent as Oscars in the entire world. I am sure; now you must have understood the importance of this award for Bollywood movies. Throughout the year many movies are made and released, but does anyone know the number of Bollywood movies nominated for Oscars? No one, let me tell you that from thousands of Bollywood films hardly a handful of them get nominated for the Oscars, and there are also few films that should have been nominated but were not. Today in this post, we will see some of the best Bollywood movies for Oscars that could have been in the nomination list but couldn’t make it.
Paan Singh Tomar (2012)
How can anyone miss to see the film “Paan Singh Tomar”, the real-life story of subedar Paan Singh Tomar who is a national athlete and an Army soldier becomes a feared bandit later on? I am sure none. After its release to critical acclaim, this film was declared as a super hit at the box office and won several prizes at various award functions, but still, it could not go to the Oscars.
English Vinglish (2012)
English Vinglish film released in 2012 was a remarkable, emotional, inspiring and intuitive movie which earned a global approval from all over the world. It depicted the story of a housewife who joins an English speaking school to gain her self-respect as her husband and daughter often humiliate her just because she is unable to communicate in English. This film became so popular that it swept away all the best debut director awards of 2012. Like the above two films, even they considered for selecting as India’s official entry for the Oscars but unfortunately was not nominated.
Udaan (2010)
Udaan is a tale about a 17-year-old boy who is expelled from his boarding school and returns home to his cruel father. I know how you must be thinking that this film will be like a casual one of reuniting with a lost father or homecoming sorts or of teenagers. But let me tell you this is an entirely different story, where the boy is more worried about how to convince his father for becoming a writer, which is his dream. Like the above films, Udaan also won many awards. In fact, after a gap of seven years, it was the first Indian film to be a part of Cannes’ official section. And yet it was not selected for the Oscars.
Anand (1971)
I bet most of them must have seen this outstanding and emotional movie with Rajesh Khanna playing the leading role, haven’t you? After watching this, you must be thinking that this super hit film shall take many national awards and shall also go in the Oscars. But let me tell you nothing happened as such. In fact, in spite of being considered as one of the best films of the Indian cinema, it was not included in the nomination list for Oscars.
Guide (1965)
Released in 1965, Guide is a classic and romantic film where the guide (Raju) falls in love with a married woman Rosie and then jailed for imitating Rosie’s signature and stealing money from her. It was considered to be one of the best masterpieces of the Indian film industry which had broken all records at the box office. Moreover, it had also won all the four major awards at the Filmfare Awards. Though being so much successful and selected as the Indian entry for the Oscars, guess was not accepted as a nominee.
Do Bigha Zameen (1953)
I am sure you must have not even heard the name of the film “Do Bigha Zameen”, Am I right? No worries. I want to tell you that this film made in 1953 is an awful story of a farmer whose circumstances force him to migrate to the city of Calcutta in search of a job for clearing his debt. There he becomes a rickshaw puller and earns a living. This film also depicts the cruelty of zamindars on weak and helpless farmers. It is considered to be the first and best example of neo-realism in the Indian cinema. Moreover, this tragic drama was the first movie to win the Filmfare Best Movie award as well as an International prize at the Canes Film Festival, and it would have been selected for the Oscars also. But unluckily since, India started sending films for Oscars from 1958 only it could not make it.
So now you know the films that should have gone to the Oscars? I know you must be thinking that in spite of being successful and enjoyable movies why they did not send for the Oscars. Well, I too, don’t have any answers to it. Anyways, to read related posts, keep coming back!
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