Tovino Thomas’ Malayalam blockbuster ‘2018’ is India’s official entry for 2024 Oscars

Tovino Thomas starrer ‘2018’ has been selected by the Film Federation of India as India’s official entry to the Oscars. The Malayalam-language survival drama, directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, is based on the floods that struck Kerala in 2018.

Last year, the Telugu-language epic ‘RRR’ won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, despite not being chosen to compete for the Best International Film category.

Only three Indian movies in history have scored nominations in the category — ‘Mother India’, ‘Salaam Bombay’, and ‘Lagaan’. Two Indian documentary features – ‘Writing with Fire’ and ‘All that Breathes ‘– have also earned nominations in the last two years. ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ won in the Best Documentary Short category last year.

In the recent past, films such as ‘Gully Boy’, ‘Last Film Show’, ‘Pebbles’, and ‘Jallikattu’ have been selected as India’s official Oscars entries.

Earlier, Tovino Thomas won the Best Asian Actor award at the Septimius Awards 2023.

Along with a few pictures from the ceremony, the actor penned a heartfelt note. ‘Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. In 2018, Kerala began to fall when unexpected floods knocked on our doors. But then the world saw what Keralites were made of…’ the post read.

‘Thank you SEPTIMIUS AWARDS for selecting me as the Best Asian Actor. It will always remain close to my heart… What makes this international recognition special is that this is for my performance in the movie 2018. This one... is for Kerala,’ he concluded.

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