Over a history of more than a century, Indian cinema has produced some truly great movies that have been widely acclaimed by both domestic and international audiences. The Indian film industry is considered to be one of the largest and most vibrant in the world, producing a wide range of films in multiple languages and genres. In recent decades, particularly Indian movies have gained popularity across the globe for their colorful visuals, action, melodrama, and dance numbers (case in point: the brouhaha over RRR). Additionally, there are also unique films from different regions of India, which have been appreciated by critics for their artistic and cultural significance.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-oscars-2023-10-great-actors-who-dont-have-an-oscar-569869Oscars 2023: Ten great actors who haven’t won an Oscar surprisingly">Oscars 2023: Ten great actors who haven’t won an Oscar surprisingly</a>

While a handful of Indians have won an Academy Award or Oscar, no Indian-made cinematic production (as opposed to a foreign production involving Indians) can boast of an Oscar statuette to date.&nbsp;

Here are some of the Indian films that deserved Oscars but were sadly overlooked by the Academy:

<h2>Pather Panchali (1955)</h2>

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MC8waqiwSY4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

A Bengali-language film directed by the legendary Satyajit Ray, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made and is credited with introducing Indian cinema to the world stage. The film tells the story of a young boy named Apu and his family as they struggle to survive in rural India. Pather Panchali was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 28th Academy Awards, but did not win.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-oscars-2023-best-picture-nominee-steven-spielbergs-the-fabelmans-is-an-ode-to-cinema-and-life-570016">Oscars 2023 Best Picture nominee: Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans is an ode to cinema and life</a>

<h2>Mother India (1957)&nbsp;</h2>

This Mehboob Khan directorial is widely considered a masterpiece of Indian cinema. It tells the story of a mother who struggles to raise her children and maintain her farm after her husband abandons the family. The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 30th Academy Awards, but ultimately lost to Nights of Cabiria.

<h2>Salaam Bombay! (1988)</h2>

This film, directed by Mira Nair, tells the story of a young boy who runs away from home and ends up living on the streets of Mumbai. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 61st Academy Awards, but ultimately lost to Pelle the Conqueror.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-oscars-2023-the-banshees-of-inisherin-is-a-dark-poignant-meditation-on-futility-of-conflict-569707">Oscars 2023: The Banshees of Inisherin is a dark, poignant meditation on futility of conflict</a>

<h2>Lagaan (2001)&nbsp;</h2>

This epic sports drama film was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starred Aamir Khan. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards, but ultimately lost to No Man's Land. The story, set in pre-Independent India follows a group of villagers who challenge their British colonisers to a game of cricket in exchange for a three-year tax exemption.&nbsp;

<h2>Devdas (2002)</h2>

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DNE3v7ILuRE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

This film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a lavish adaptation of the classic Indian novel of the same name. It was praised for its opulent visuals and outstanding performances. Despite all the praise that was showered over it, it was not nominated for an Oscar.

<h2>Black (2005)</h2>

This film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, tells the story of a deaf-blind girl and her relationship with her teacher. It was praised for its poignant storytelling and outstanding performances, particularly by leading actress Rani Mukherjee. Despite being a critical success, it was not nominated for an Oscar.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/oscars-2023-short-documentaries-explode-as-an-art-form-attracting-big-players-like-netflix-569398">Oscars 2023: Short documentaries explode as an art form, attracting big players like Netflix</a>

<h2>Peepli Live (2010)</h2>

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ht0-gqvFor0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

A satirical comedy-drama film directed by Anusha Rizvi and produced by Aamir Khan, Peepli Live tells the story of two impoverished farmers in rural India who plan to commit suicide so that their families can receive government compensation. The film explores the issues of farmer suicides, media sensationalism, and political corruption in India.&nbsp;

<h2>Court (2014)&nbsp;</h2>

This Marathi-language film, directed by Chaitanya Tamhane, tells the story of a trial in a lower court in Mumbai. It was praised for its sharp social commentary and unique storytelling style and won several awards at international film festivals. Despite critical acclaim, it was not nominated.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-oscars-awards-2023-best-picture-nominee-can-avatar-2-win-the-trophy-568604">Oscars Awards 2023 Best Picture nominee: Can Avatar 2 win the trophy?</a>

<h2>Village Rockstars (2017)</h2>

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tTov2nVgXaU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

This Rima Das film is set in a remote village in the northeastern state of Assam and follows the story of a young girl named Dhunu who dreams of owning a guitar and starting her own rock band. The film captures the beauty and struggles of rural life in India with its stunning cinematography and authentic portrayal of the culture, traditions, and daily life of the villagers. It provides a glimpse into a way of life that is often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream media.

<h2>Jallikattu (2019)</h2>

An Indian Malayalam-language action film directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, Jallikattu is based on the short story Maoist by Hareesh and depicts the events that follow after a buffalo escapes from a slaughterhouse in a small village in Kerala, India. It features quite an unconventional narrative structure, and primarily focuses on the reactions of the villagers to the situation rather than the buffalo itself. This approach makes the film more about the people and their emotions than the animal. The story builds up to a gripping climax that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.

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Over a history of more than a century, Indian cinema has produced some truly great movies that have been widely acclaimed by both domestic and international audiences.

Over a history of more than a century, Indian cinema has produced some truly great movies that have been widely acclaimed by both domestic and international audiences. The Indian film industry is considered to be one of the largest and most vibrant in the world, producing a wide range of films in multiple languages and genres. In recent decades, particularly Indian movies have gained popularity across the globe for their colorful visuals, action, melodrama, and dance numbers (case in point: the brouhaha over RRR). Additionally, there are also unique films from different regions of India, which have been appreciated by critics for their artistic and cultural significance. Also Read | Oscars 2023: Ten great actors who haven’t won an Oscar surprisingly While a handful of Indians have won an Academy Award or Oscar, no Indian-made cinematic production (as opposed to a foreign production involving Indians) can boast of an Oscar statuette to date. Here are some of the Indian films that deserved Oscars but were sadly overlooked by the Academy: Pather Panchali (1955) A Bengali-language film directed by the legendary Satyajit Ray, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made and is credited with introducing Indian cinema to the world stage. The film tells the story of a young boy named Apu and his family as they struggle to survive in rural India. Pather Panchali was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 28th Academy Awards, but did not win. Also Read | Oscars 2023 Best Picture nominee: Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans is an ode to cinema and life Mother India (1957) This Mehboob Khan directorial is widely considered a masterpiece of Indian cinema. It tells the story of a mother who struggles to raise her children and maintain her farm after her husband abandons the family. The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 30th Academy Awards, but ultimately lost to Nights of Cabiria. Salaam Bombay! (1988) This film, directed by Mira Nair, tells the story of a young boy who runs away from home and ends up living on the streets of Mumbai. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 61st Academy Awards, but ultimately lost to Pelle the Conqueror. Also Read: Oscars 2023: The Banshees of Inisherin is a dark, poignant meditation on futility of conflict Lagaan (2001) This epic sports drama film was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starred Aamir Khan. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards, but ultimately lost to No Man's Land. The story, set in pre-Independent India follows a group of villagers who challenge their British colonisers to a game of cricket in exchange for a three-year tax exemption. Devdas (2002) This film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a lavish adaptation of the classic Indian novel of the same name. It was praised for its opulent visuals and outstanding performances. Despite all the praise that was showered over it, it was not nominated for an Oscar. Black (2005) This film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, tells the story of a deaf-blind girl and her relationship with her teacher. It was praised for its poignant storytelling and outstanding performances, particularly by leading actress Rani Mukherjee. Despite being a critical success, it was not nominated for an Oscar. Also Read: Oscars 2023: Short documentaries explode as an art form, attracting big players like Netflix Peepli Live (2010) A satirical comedy-drama film directed by Anusha Rizvi and produced by Aamir Khan, Peepli Live tells the story of two impoverished farmers in rural India who plan to commit suicide so that their families can receive government compensation. The film explores the issues of farmer suicides, media sensationalism, and political corruption in India. Court (2014) This Marathi-language film, directed by Chaitanya Tamhane, tells the story of a trial in a lower court in Mumbai. It was praised for its sharp social commentary and unique storytelling style and won several awards at international film festivals. Despite critical acclaim, it was not nominated. Also Read: Oscars Awards 2023 Best Picture nominee: Can Avatar 2 win the trophy? Village Rockstars (2017) This Rima Das film is set in a remote village in the northeastern state of Assam and follows the story of a young girl named Dhunu who dreams of owning a guitar and starting her own rock band. The film captures the beauty and struggles of rural life in India with its stunning cinematography and authentic portrayal of the culture, traditions, and daily life of the villagers. It provides a glimpse into a way of life that is often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream media. Jallikattu (2019) An Indian Malayalam-language action film directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, Jallikattu is based on the short story Maoist by Hareesh and depicts the events that follow after a buffalo escapes from a slaughterhouse in a small village in Kerala, India. It features quite an unconventional narrative structure, and primarily focuses on the reactions of the villagers to the situation rather than the buffalo itself. This approach makes the film more about the people and their emotions than the animal. The story builds up to a gripping climax that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Oscars 2023 4 days to go: From Pather Panchali to Jallikattu, 10 Indian films that deserved Oscars

Noted Assamese filmmaker Rima Das` 'Bulbul Can Sing' has been selected as the opening film of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The festival will begin on August 8.

For the opening night of the festival, now in its 10th year, Das` film will be screened. It showcases the stories of three teenagers who are trying to come to terms with their sexual identities while dealing with the ideals and morales of the villagers.&nbsp;

"I love the enthusiasm and exuberance of an opening night. So excited that `Bulbul Can Sing` is the opening night film at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne," Das said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The film has truly been special for me as a filmmaker. The response and appreciation we have received from across the places we had travelled to with the film, is also very special. I`m looking forward to the Australian premiere of the film and interacting with the audience there and having a conversation with them on cinema," she added. The film has already earned praises in various international film festivals including the Berlin Film Festival.&nbsp;

The filmmaker is best known for making 'Village Rockstars', an Assamese language film which won the National Award for Best Feature Film last year. It was even chosen as India`s official entry to the Oscars.

Noted Assamese filmmaker Rima Das` 'Bulbul Can Sing' has been selected as the opening film of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The festival will begin on August 8.

Noted Assamese filmmaker Rima Das` 'Bulbul Can Sing' has been selected as the opening film of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The festival will begin on August 8. For the opening night of the festival, now in its 10th year, Das` film will be screened. It showcases the stories of three teenagers who are trying to come to terms with their sexual identities while dealing with the ideals and morales of the villagers. "I love the enthusiasm and exuberance of an opening night. So excited that `Bulbul Can Sing` is the opening night film at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne," Das said in a statement. "The film has truly been special for me as a filmmaker. The response and appreciation we have received from across the places we had travelled to with the film, is also very special. I`m looking forward to the Australian premiere of the film and interacting with the audience there and having a conversation with them on cinema," she added. The film has already earned praises in various international film festivals including the Berlin Film Festival. The filmmaker is best known for making 'Village Rockstars', an Assamese language film which won the National Award for Best Feature Film last year. It was even chosen as India`s official entry to the Oscars.

Rima Das' film 'Bulbul Can Sing' to open Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das' critically acclaimed film 'Village Rockstars is out of the Oscar race. The film was India's official entry in the Best Foreign Language films category. &nbsp;Iram Haq's Norwegian drama 'What Will People Say', starring Indian actors also did not make the cut.&nbsp; 
 
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday announced that nine films have advanced to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards, according to the official Oscars website. 
 
So far only three Indian films have been nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. 'Mother India', 'Salaam Bombay!' and 'Lagaan' made it to the top five in the category at the Academy Awards, but none have won the honour.

Hopes were also pinned on 'What Will People Say', which stars Indian actors Adil Hussain and Ekavali Khanna. It is set in Pakistan and Norway and traces how a Pakistani immigrant family deals with its teenage daughter`s affair with a local boy in Norway.&nbsp; 
 
A total of 87 films had originally been considered in the Foreign Language Film category. Among the shortlisted ones are 'Birds of Passage' (Colombia), 'The Guilty' (Denmark), 'Never Look Away' (Germany), 'Shoplifters'&nbsp;(Japan), 'Ayka' (Kazakhstan), 'Capernaum' (Lebanon), 'Roma' (Mexico), 'Cold War' (Poland) and 'Burning' (South Korea). 
 
Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron is excited about 'Roma' making it to the list. 
 
"Made the shortlist of the Oscars for foreign language," tweeted the Academy Award winner, whose film is set in the early 1970s and is a semi-autobiographical take on his upbringing in Mexico City. 
 
The movie, available on Netlfix, is among the front-runners for an Oscar this year. 
 
The Academy also announced shortlists for the Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Make-up And Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects categories. 
 
Nominations for the 91st Oscars will be announced on January 22, 2019, over a month ahead of the Oscars ceremony which is slated to be held on February 24, 2019.

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das' critically acclaimed film 'Village Rockstars is out of the Oscar race. The film was India's official entry in the Best Foreign Language films category.

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das' critically acclaimed film 'Village Rockstars is out of the Oscar race. The film was India's official entry in the Best Foreign Language films category. Iram Haq's Norwegian drama 'What Will People Say', starring Indian actors also did not make the cut. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday announced that nine films have advanced to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards, according to the official Oscars website. So far only three Indian films have been nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. 'Mother India', 'Salaam Bombay!' and 'Lagaan' made it to the top five in the category at the Academy Awards, but none have won the honour. Hopes were also pinned on 'What Will People Say', which stars Indian actors Adil Hussain and Ekavali Khanna. It is set in Pakistan and Norway and traces how a Pakistani immigrant family deals with its teenage daughter`s affair with a local boy in Norway. A total of 87 films had originally been considered in the Foreign Language Film category. Among the shortlisted ones are 'Birds of Passage' (Colombia), 'The Guilty' (Denmark), 'Never Look Away' (Germany), 'Shoplifters' (Japan), 'Ayka' (Kazakhstan), 'Capernaum' (Lebanon), 'Roma' (Mexico), 'Cold War' (Poland) and 'Burning' (South Korea). Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron is excited about 'Roma' making it to the list. "Made the shortlist of the Oscars for foreign language," tweeted the Academy Award winner, whose film is set in the early 1970s and is a semi-autobiographical take on his upbringing in Mexico City. The movie, available on Netlfix, is among the front-runners for an Oscar this year. The Academy also announced shortlists for the Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Make-up And Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects categories. Nominations for the 91st Oscars will be announced on January 22, 2019, over a month ahead of the Oscars ceremony which is slated to be held on February 24, 2019.

Oscars 2019: Indian film 'Village Rockstar' by Rima Das is out of the race

Rima Das, director and producer of 'Village Rockstars' which is India's official entry for the 2019 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language film category, will receive an additional Rs 50 lakh from the Assam government as announced by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Friday, a government release said. 
 
The state government had earlier granted Rs 50 lakh to Das. 
 
Now a total amount of Rs 1 crore will be provided to the filmmaker, said a government release here. 
 
Das had called on the chief minister and expressed her happiness over the selection of 'Village Rockstars' as India's official entry to the Oscars and thanked the Assam government and its people for the ''tremendous support'' to her. 
 
Sonowal extended his best wishes to the filmmaker for the ''incredible success'' of her film and hoped that it would be able to win the Oscars in Best Foreign Language film category apart from highlighting the state's quintessential splendour in front of the global audience. 
 
Rima had on Thursday sought help from the government to promote her film for the award as at least Rs 3 crore is needed to campaign at the Oscars and to ensure that it makes it to the final nomination. 
 
Das said 'Village Rockstars' has travelled to 80 film festivals and has won 44 awards so far. It was screened in Toronto, Berlin, Cannes and Venice festivals. 
 
The film will be released pan India though PVR today with the premiere show held here last night.

'Village Rockstars' is the story about a poor girl aspiring to be a rockstar and is set in her own village at Chayagaon near here. It has won four national awards, including the 'Swarna Kamal' for the best film.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Rima Das, director and producer of 'Village Rockstars' which is India's official entry for the 2019 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language film category, will receive an additional Rs 50 lakh from the Assam government as announced by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Friday, a government release said.

Rima Das, director and producer of 'Village Rockstars' which is India's official entry for the 2019 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language film category, will receive an additional Rs 50 lakh from the Assam government as announced by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Friday, a government release said. The state government had earlier granted Rs 50 lakh to Das. Now a total amount of Rs 1 crore will be provided to the filmmaker, said a government release here. Das had called on the chief minister and expressed her happiness over the selection of 'Village Rockstars' as India's official entry to the Oscars and thanked the Assam government and its people for the ''tremendous support'' to her. Sonowal extended his best wishes to the filmmaker for the ''incredible success'' of her film and hoped that it would be able to win the Oscars in Best Foreign Language film category apart from highlighting the state's quintessential splendour in front of the global audience. Rima had on Thursday sought help from the government to promote her film for the award as at least Rs 3 crore is needed to campaign at the Oscars and to ensure that it makes it to the final nomination. Das said 'Village Rockstars' has travelled to 80 film festivals and has won 44 awards so far. It was screened in Toronto, Berlin, Cannes and Venice festivals. The film will be released pan India though PVR today with the premiere show held here last night. 'Village Rockstars' is the story about a poor girl aspiring to be a rockstar and is set in her own village at Chayagaon near here. It has won four national awards, including the 'Swarna Kamal' for the best film.

Rima Das' 'Village Rockstars' gets additional Rs 50 lakhs from Assam government to campaign at the Oscars 

Rima Das’ National Award-winning feature “Village Rockstars” has been chosen to represent India in the Best Foreign Language category at the 91st Academy Awards next year, the Film Federation of India (FFI) announced Saturday.&nbsp;

The coming-of-age film follows Dhunu, a girl who grows up in poverty and learns to fend for herself. However, that does not prevent her from following her dream of forming a rock band and owning a guitar someday.

The announcement was made by SV Rajendra Singh Babu, Chairman, Selection Committee for Oscar Award, FFI. The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and has toured more than 70 prestigious international and national film festivals.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmaavat”, Alia Bhatt-starrrer “Raazi”, Rani Mukerji fronted “Hichki”, Shoojit Sircar’s “October”, “Love Sonia” directed by Tabrez Noorani, “Tumbaad”, “Halkaa”, “Kadvi Hawa” and latest release “Manto” were part of the list of 28 films submitted for next year’s Oscars. 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. Hindi film “Newton” by director Amit Masurkar and starring Rajkummar Rao was India’s official submission to the Oscars last year.

Rima Das’ National Award-winning feature “Village Rockstars” has been chosen to represent India in the Best Foreign Language category at the 91st Academy Awards next year, the Film Federation of India (FFI) announced Saturday.

Rima Das’ National Award-winning feature “Village Rockstars” has been chosen to represent India in the Best Foreign Language category at the 91st Academy Awards next year, the Film Federation of India (FFI) announced Saturday. The coming-of-age film follows Dhunu, a girl who grows up in poverty and learns to fend for herself. However, that does not prevent her from following her dream of forming a rock band and owning a guitar someday. The announcement was made by SV Rajendra Singh Babu, Chairman, Selection Committee for Oscar Award, FFI. The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and has toured more than 70 prestigious international and national film festivals. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmaavat”, Alia Bhatt-starrrer “Raazi”, Rani Mukerji fronted “Hichki”, Shoojit Sircar’s “October”, “Love Sonia” directed by Tabrez Noorani, “Tumbaad”, “Halkaa”, “Kadvi Hawa” and latest release “Manto” were part of the list of 28 films submitted for next year’s Oscars. 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. Hindi film “Newton” by director Amit Masurkar and starring Rajkummar Rao was India’s official submission to the Oscars last year.

Assamese film ‘Village Rockstars’ is India’s official entry to Oscars 2019