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India selects Marathi film 'Court' as Oscars submission

India selects Marathi film 'Court' as Oscars submission

Court is a legal drama that criticises the Indian justice system
24 Sep, 2015

India has selected Marathi film Court as its submission to the Best Foreign Language Film category for the 88th Academy Awards in February next year.

Court is the debut film of director Chaitanya Tamhane, who has criticised the Indian justice system in this courtroom drama.

In the film, an ageing folk singer is tried in court on charges of abetment of suicide of a sewerage worker. He is accused of performing an inflammatory song, which might have incited the worker to commit the act. As the trial unfolds, the personal lives of the lawyers and the judge involved in the case are observed outside the court.

Three Indian films have made it to the final nominations of the Academy’s Best Foreign Language film so far: Mother India (1958), Salaam Bombay (1988) and Lagaan (2001).

The final nominations will be announced on January 14, 2016.

Comments

Nitin Sep 24, 2015 04:39pm
This movie already won national and international awards. My best luck for Oscar.
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Patti Sep 24, 2015 04:47pm
Hail India
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TKHAN Sep 24, 2015 05:14pm
This movie truly depicts the modus operandi of the court system in the Sub-Continent. Consider it a submission from all commonwealth countries who were given this justice system from the Britishers.
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TKHAN Sep 24, 2015 05:15pm
This movie truly depict the conditions of the court system in the Sub-Continent. Consider it a submission from all commonwealth countries who were given this justice system.
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Akash Sep 24, 2015 05:54pm
Oh what about Bahubali?
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fawad Sep 24, 2015 06:19pm
@Akash Bahubali is good SciFi movie, for Indian standard and equivalent to Lord of the Rings, but movie is more than just FX effect, action and wow factor, it is about good story and good story telling.
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Insanely Atheist Sep 24, 2015 06:28pm
Highly nuanced movie hauntingly depicting the morbid colors of Indian society. Differences among cast,class,region,religion,age,ideology; It covers everything so silently that one feels depressed.
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Bharath Honavar Sep 24, 2015 06:32pm
I am glad the committee made the right choice. Other good films that were in the race were Killa (Marathi), Elizabeth Ekadashi (Marathi), Kaaka Muttai (Tamil) and Masaan (Hindi). Marathi films are content driven and much superior to most Bollywood films. India should show good Marathi, Tamil and Bengali films all over India with subtitles. I dont think Marathi films have the budget to do promotion and marketing as Aamir Khan's Lagaan. Past Marathi films Shwaas, Harishchandrachi Factory did not spend much on marketing. I would recommend all Pakistani friends to view the following Marathi films. Many are available on Youtube with English subtitles. Fandry, Killa, Elizabeth Ekadashi, Highway, Umbartha, Sinhasan, Astu, Deool, Vihir, Doghi, Natarang are some Marathi films I recommend. http://www.apalimarathi.com/ Good website to watch Marathi films
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Kailash Sep 24, 2015 06:54pm
Nice movie. Try to watch it if subtitles are available.
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someone Sep 24, 2015 07:00pm
@Bharath Honavar Buddy, Pakistanis hardly have appetite for "content" movies. Like most of us Indians, they like Masala movies too. Why do you think Munni/Sheila/Chameli are more famous in Pakistan than India?
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Mir Aref Sep 24, 2015 07:20pm
None other than Manjhi- The Mountain Man is rightful of the Oscar.
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imran khan(indian) Sep 24, 2015 09:31pm
although Court already won 18 international award, but blockbuster movie Bahubali -the begining should be nominated for academy award. from india
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Kailash Sep 24, 2015 10:19pm
@Akash, Baahubali is overhyped movie. If even 10% of Baahubali's marketing budget is spent on good regional films - Marathi, Bengali, and others also, these will be watched worldwide. What to do : not all brainy people have money, and not all rich people have brains!
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Prakash Sep 24, 2015 10:23pm
Marathi films are repeatedly doing good on National level as well as in International festivals. One major reason is a presence of strong theatre in Marathi arena. Most subjects of the theaters are innovative, risky and bold in all aspects. And the actors in Marathi films come from these theaters are superior than most model-turned-glamorous-actors. Add to that the public who appreciates such films.
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Naser Sep 25, 2015 12:05am
What I heard is most of the movies sent to Oscar since few years are made by young Indians and some of them are their first film. Salute to this talent.
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athar Sep 25, 2015 02:05am
Court movie is best depiction of judicial flaws in the justice system where a social worker is even accused of being dangerous for the society. The story is also best valid for Pakistan as almost same system of justice is prevailing here too. A best art movie I have recently watched. It deserve Oscar nomination.
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kuttathi Sep 25, 2015 02:45am
@Bharath Honavar I love Marathi movies.I will try to watch the movies with subtitles.Long back in DD2 they used to broadcast regional movies with subtitles.Could watch bengali,assamese etc.Malayalam movies also have a very good standard though they are low budget movies. All the Bahubali fans,I am the biggest fan of all.But westerners may not like to see the cultural movie like that.Especially ancient culture.More over it is only the part1 of the movie.So 'incomplete' for an award nomination.Remember Lagaan.They thought it a great movie but too long and it was about cricket which they are ignorant about.That time a short movie called 'No man's land' won the award as it was a war movie. "Kakka Muttai" the tamil movie already won so many international awards.I yet have to see 'Court'.
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Mohammad Sep 25, 2015 07:22am
@Bharath Honavar Thanks
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Prakash Sep 25, 2015 07:31am
@kuttathi, yes, I remember those days when they used to show regional movies with subtitles. These regional movies are far superior than Bollywood masala. Don't know why they stopped. May be I will just drop them a mail. My most favorite movie so far is a Marathi movie "Ratra Aarambh". It shows relationship between a Schizophrenic father and his family.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfbgCiam9Bo&list=PL2A1B0649D3B063B0). I recently happened to watch a Bengali Movie: "Labour of Love". There are no dialogues in the movie, and yet you get it! @Naser, you are right in your observation. Young people are a sort of rebels, full of energy. They always want to defy the conventions and cross the boundaries of known and normal.
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harsh Sep 25, 2015 09:19am
Sachin's 200 against SA would have better chance of winning the Oscar.
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Sameer S. Darwhekar Sep 25, 2015 09:20am
Many thanks for this news Dawn .... You are truly a 'positive' media !! Never thought that a news about Marathi movie (which is my mother tongue) will get coverage in a Pakistani news portal. Thanks again .... #love and #respect !!
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onkar Sep 25, 2015 11:21am
I'm an Indian and I read Dawn newspaper almost daily. it's very positive and impartial newspaper. good going ,keep it up.
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jeevan Sep 26, 2015 02:56pm
@imran khan(indian) bahubaali is all about graphixs. had that been a factor movies like transformers, gravity would have won numerous awards.
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