Gully Boy, Zoya Akhtar’s film starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, is India’s official entry for Oscars

Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt’s Gully Boy has been named as India’s official entry to Oscars 2020. Directed by Zoya Akhtar, Gully Boy chronicled the story of Mumbai’s street rappers and was said to loosely based on rapper Naezy’s life. The movie, which released commercially across the country in February this year, also features Alia Bhatt, Vijay Raaz, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Vijay Varma and Amruta Subhash.

Celebrated actor-filmmaker Aparna Sen was the head of the jury for this year’s selection committee.

If nominated, the film will compete in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 92nd Academy Awards. As per reports, Ayushmann Khurrana’s AndhaDhun, Article 15, Badhaai Ho, Varun Dhawan’s Badla, among others were competing with Gully Boy for the nomination.

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Announcing the development, producer Farhan Akhtar tweeted, “#GullyBoy has been selected as India’s official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards. #apnatimeaayega Thank you to the film federation and congratulations #Zoya @kagtireema @ritesh_sid @RanveerOfficial @aliaa08 @SiddhantChturvD @kalkikanmani & cast, crew and hip hop crew.” 

Kalki, who played a pivotal role in the movie, also expressed her excitement on the film’s Oscar selection. “Woweeeeeeeee! That is just the best Saturday evening news!” she tweeted.

Released in February, the film received widespread praise from critics as well as the audience. It is among the top earners of 2019, having made ₹238 crore worldwide.  

No Indian film has ever won an Oscar. The last Indian film that made it to the final five in the Best Foreign Film category list was Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan in 2001. Mother India (1958) and Salaam Bombay (1989) are the other two Indian movies to have made it to the top five. Assamese film Village Rockstars, directed by Rima Das, was India’s official submission to the Oscars last year.

The 92nd Academy Awards will take place on February 9, 2020 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, US.

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