Aamir Khan’s Oscar dream gets a second chance with ‘Laapataa Ladies’

Over 1,500 feature films are produced across India every year. Yet, only three feature films have been nominated for Oscars till date.

Released in 1957, ‘Mother India’ was India’s first nomination to Oscars. The film was widely acclaimed and received several awards and recognition. However, the film could not transform the positive reviews into an Oscar success.

‘Salaam Bombay’ in 1988 became the second Indian film to be nominated to the Academy. The film directed by Mira Nair won many international awards but could not get an Oscar.

14 years later, India got another chance at winning the prestigious award. In 2002, Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Lagaan’ was nominated in the ‘Best Foreign Film’ category. Produced by Aamir Khan, ‘Lagaan’ also starred Khan in the lead role. The Oscar nominated film is a period drama about the resilience of Indians in British Raj and cricket. A strong contender at Oscars, ‘Lagaan’ was snubbed by ‘No Man’s Land’.

Now, 22 years after ‘Lagaan’, Aamir’s Oscar dream seems like a possibility. His latest production ‘Laapataa Ladies’ has been submitted as India’s entry to Oscars. The film is directed by Khan’s ex-wife Kiran Rao, who was also the assistant director of ‘Lagaan’.

Also Watch: Kiran Rao's 'Laapataa Ladies' picked as India's entry for Oscars 2025