In 82 years of Oscar history, Indian films have for the most part gotten the short end of the stick.
One of only five Indian winners is Bengali filmmaker Satyajit Ray, who was honoured with a lifetime achievement award in 1992. Other Indian winners were in the categories for music, editing and costume. Ray's Pather Panchali won 11 international awards, but no Oscar. An Indian film is yet to be honoured.
While critics argue that Bollywood films lack originality and eulogise the times when films like Mother India or Guide were made, director Ashutosh Gowariker is confident about India's chances at the Oscars.
The director, who made the Oscar-nominated hit Lagaan and has won various Indian and international awards, feels the quality of Indian films isn't a factor in their performance, or lack thereof, at the Academy Awards.
"We have made some great Oscar-worthy films, but what we lack is how to market our films. Our limitation is in packaging, marketing and promoting our films worldwide," Gowariker told tabloid! over the phone from Mumbai ahead of this weekend's release of his historical drama Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey.
"We make movies purely for an Indian audience, whereas Hollywood targets an English audience, so it has much wider reach. It's just a different approach.
"Every film has its own destiny. We are trying to make the most of what Indian cinema has to offer every year at the Oscars. Each country sends its best entry, so the competition is tough. We broke in three times [when Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan were nominated]. It won't be long before we win one."
Original Indian films like Peepli (Live) and Swades don't seem to progress much beyond Cannes nominations. So how far has Indian cinemas gotten with its creative ability and status as the world's largest film industry?
‘Films for the people'
"We make films on par with international cinema," said Gowariker, who also made the epic blockbuster Jodhaa Akbar. "I make films for the people, and if they appreciate and love the film, that's my achievement."
Asked if choices of the Film Federation of India, which selects the official entries and of which Gowariker is a jury member, is the reason why Oscar success has been elusive so far, he said: "[The] FFI does a fair job in selecting films, but a jury is human after all, so sometimes we get it wrong."
With hundreds of movies churned out every year, is an Oscar really important for Bollywood? "Getting an Oscar is an ultimate honour. It's [the] Olympics of cinema. But no movie can be made for awards. But if it comes along, it's an honour."
With Lagaan nudged out for the coveted prize for the best foreign film by No Man's Land in 2002, will Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, based on the Chittagong uprising in 1930, be India's Oscar entry for 2012? "I don't like to despair," said Gowariker. "I look ahead, correct mistakes and try and hope for the best."
To date, only three films out of 57 Indian entries have been nominated for Oscars in Best Foreign Film category. "Making it [to] the final five is also a very big achievement," said director Ashutosh Gowariker. "You are getting a position of best five in the world." Gowariker gives his take on the screen gems.
Mother India (1957), by Mehboob Khan: "It's one of the greatest social dramas ever made in India. The film had layers of emotions, starting with the village set-up, the inner strength of a woman fighting her own battle, and the rivalry between brothers. Above all, a story about honour."
Salaam Bombay! (1988), by Mira Nair: It's a raw, gritty look at Mumbai's underbelly. The film gives an inside look of juvenile delinquency. Its novel approach won the Oscar nomination."
Apur Sansar [The World of Apu] (1959), by Satyajit Ray: "Many of his and Ritwik Ghatak's [an award-winning Bengali filmmaker] films could have won Oscar easily. Apur Sansar is a masterpiece. Ray's humanitarian films have influenced Indian and world cinema."
Peepli (Live), a satirical look at the growing problem of farmer suicides in rural India and the media reaction to it, is India's official entry to the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language film category this year. Gowariker is all praise for the film. "Peepli is a lovely film. [Director] Anusha [Rizvi] has tapped a serious subject matter in a nice way. With [producer] Aamir's [Khan] experience during Lagaan in 2002, I am looking forward to Aamir winning it."
