Tamil films as India's Oscar Nominee

[madhus369]

While many of us wish Oscars to have a look at Tamil movies, the fact remains that Tamil movies dont even get looked at by Indian film board as a possible Indian nominee for Oscars.

Consider movies like 'Rang De Basanti', 'Eklavya' ... They are not even the best Hindi movies of those years and consistently Tamil films get ignored in that.

In the past, there have been so many movies that were unique, non-masala-ish, gritty Oscar nomination material from Kollywood.

1. Veedu. This was a brilliant piece by Balu Mahendra. It had the cultural feel of what goes on as well as the technical quality.

2. Anbe Sivam. A very nice piece about communist ideals versus current realism, mixed with a buddy story.

3. Roja. Remove the songs and other unreal masala elements and this makes a good case (Was this nominated that year?)

4. Kannathil Muthamittal. Nice theme and well made story. Even the song sequences here are well mixed in with the story.

Can you think of other movies that are of the Oscar type?

And, is there any sort of push that Kollywood folks should be doing to get some of the Tamil movies more recognition?

In terms of Oscar qualities, we can easily see some of the trends:

1. Feel good (not usually a tragedy)
2. Not violent (except when Silence of Lambs happened. Vettayadu Vilayadu, anyone?)
3. Handicapped protagonist (Gump, My left foot, Million dollar baby, Philadelphia, ...)
4. One or two major performances by the actors involved
5. ...?

In a simple glance, we already had a movie that would have fit all these categories - Anbe Sivam...

[madhus369]

And, by the way, Happy Holidays to you all. I will be off for the next month and a half. Have fun. I sure am going to :)

[dinesh2002]

''Indian'' & ''Jeans'' was India's official Oscar Nominee for their respective years 1996 & 1998 ....

or was it just nominated for official entry? not sure though...

[joe]

IMO ,HeyRam is the best oscar material.

Heard that 'Deiva magan' was the first Tamil movie sent to oscar.

[Nerd]

Joe is right!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_India's_official_entries_to_the_Oscars

Hey raam was our best chance and unfortunately it wasnt even nominated. Lagaan was liked by almost all the critics here but it only got nominated!

[joe]

Hey raam was our best chance and unfortunately it wasnt even nominated.

But in the link ,HeyRam is mentioned as 2000 entry :)

[Nerd]

Hey raam was our best chance and unfortunately it wasnt even nominated.

But in the link ,HeyRam is mentioned as 2000 entry :)
Joe, it was just sent but not nominated. We select one movie every year and send it to the oscars. The committee receives about 70 entries and they select 5 among them and nominate them as potential winners, weeks before the actual showdown. From the final five they pick one and give the award. Lagaan, salaam bombay and mother India are the Indian movies that have been nominated so far.

[P_R]

That year I was really hoping Hey Ram gets nominated (i.e. makes it to final five).

The final winner was Crouching Tiger.... :evil:

[thilak4life]

That year I was really hoping Hey Ram gets nominated (i.e. makes it to final five).

The final winner was Crouching Tiger.... :evil:

As much as we know that "Hey! Raam" is a far superior film to CTHD, (or an exciting "Amores perros"), "Hey! Raam" was more provocative. The film had a stage-like sets, which put off the Jury, "Hey! Raam" was the 7th on the list that year. Take the other films which were above it, they were "presented" with some audacious (read Colourful) sets. Note that Jury don't get to revisit the films, like why "Hey! Raam" has an unique visual imagery (Kamal, as always, has a reason). OTOH, CTHD was a Manga material, which marries many themes and different overtones that was "culturally" important to the Oriental backdrop, but all this appealed only because of the presentation. That is where "Hey! Raam" a more 'culturally' significant film, and a Byzantine product in itself, couldn't get across...

[P_R]

Regarding the link (or lack therof) between profundity and Oscars, what's Kubrick's record like ?

[kannannn]

That year I was really hoping Hey Ram gets nominated (i.e. makes it to final five).

The final winner was Crouching Tiger.... :evil:

As much as we know that "Hey! Raam" is a far superior film to CTHD, (or an exciting "Amores perros"), "Hey! Raam" was more provocative. The film had a stage-like sets, which put off the Jury, "Hey! Raam" was the 7th on the list that year. Take the other films which were above it, they were "presented" with some audacious (read Colourful) sets. Note that Jury don't get to revisit the films, like why "Hey! Raam" has an unique visual imagery (Kamal, as always, has a reason). OTOH, CTHD was a Manga material, which marries many themes and different overtones that was "culturally" important to the Oriental backdrop, but all this appealed only because of the presentation. That is where "Hey! Raam" a more 'culturally' significant film, and a Byzantine product in itself, couldn't get across...
For some reason, the members of the Academy are highly inconsistent in their choices. Looking at their past record, one gets the feeling that award goes to the movie that most fascinates them. Certainly Hey! Ram doesn't fall in that group (atleast for them). Intrigue and complexity have rarely been the attributes of the award winners.

[thilak4life]

Regarding the link (or lack therof) between profundity and Oscars, what's Kubrick's record like ?

Appalling.

He did win one for 2001, but NOT for direction!

[P_R]

..... and Clint Eastwood collects them like he is collecting stamps (hope groucho070 isn't around) :ashamed:

[thilak4life]

Intrigue and complexity have rarely been the attributes of the award winners.


Precisely, that's what I meant to say. That's where a film like "Hey! Raam" is far superior than likes of what "Braveheart" achieves, or infinitely more provocative, and enthralling than what likes of "Gandhi" proposes!

[equanimus]

Kubrick didn't win any. And, let's not forget Hitchcock.!

[thilak4life]

Akira didn't !?

[kannannn]

Scorcese himself was just awarded one - and that too because it was overdue. As for Akira, no he did not win any. Maybe they don't really care for the award.

[thilak4life]

But, for Akira, or Nouvelle Vague movement, and other past greats to the contemporary Wong Kar-Wai, Kitano of the present - They had different admirers from the filmmakers(Scorsese to Tarantino today) to the english press - That's how their films became well known, and became global so to speak of! We need to cut across, I'm hoping for the day some of the brilliant Tamil films to be appreciated in the same vein!

[equanimus]

All that said, I won't be really critical of Oscar awards. Not that they have overall given it to the "right" films. (Rocky won over Taxi Driver, for god's sake!)

The point is rather simple. Oscars are awards given by just a bunch of critics. And, it's close to impossible for them to give it to the "right" film (according to the media, critics circle, or any other "group") every time. Only if they get it "right" every time, we must be surprised!

There's no singular pattern of movies that win Oscars in general, except that the films are usually reasonably mainstream. Again, the criticism that they are "pro-mainstream" also doesn't hold water. Hitchcock was as mainstream as it gets, and he had such a long career too.

The other criticism that it's often an Oscar non-winner that goes on to achieve the status of "great film of that year, era or time" is valid in most cases. But, that also has a simple explanation. There are just too many good films that are non-winners as against that one good-film which also happens to be the winner!

[equanimus]

I'm hoping for the day some of the brilliant Tamil films to be appreciated in the same vein!

Occasionally, I hope for that too. The occasions being whenever I hear someone mention "the changing face of Tamil cinema wherein we've started making ulagaththara padangal like Veyil, Paruthiveeran and Katradhu Thamizh." Ah, such lack of hindsight is appalling to say the least.

[thilak4life]

I'm hoping for the day some of the brilliant Tamil films to be appreciated in the same vein!

Occasionally, I hope for that too. The occasions being whenever I hear someone mention "the changing face of Tamil cinema wherein we've started making ulagaththara padangal like Veyil, Paruthiveeran and Katradhu Thamizh." Ah, such lack of hindsight is appalling to say the least.

Yeah, but when we make a "Hey! Raam" or "Iruvar" !?

[thilak4life]

But anyday, "Oscar" rules over any award from this country!

[equanimus]

I'm hoping for the day some of the brilliant Tamil films to be appreciated in the same vein!

Occasionally, I hope for that too. The occasions being whenever I hear someone mention "the changing face of Tamil cinema wherein we've started making ulagaththara padangal like Veyil, Paruthiveeran and Katradhu Thamizh." Ah, such lack of hindsight is appalling to say the least.

Yeah, but when we make a "Hey! Raam" or "Iruvar" !?

Thilak,
I'm not sure if I made myself clear. I mean to ask, "Dude! appo idhu varaikkum eduththadhellAm?!!"

[thilak4life]

I'm hoping for the day some of the brilliant Tamil films to be appreciated in the same vein!

Occasionally, I hope for that too. The occasions being whenever I hear someone mention "the changing face of Tamil cinema wherein we've started making ulagaththara padangal like Veyil, Paruthiveeran and Katradhu Thamizh." Ah, such lack of hindsight is appalling to say the least.

Yeah, but when we make a "Hey! Raam" or "Iruvar" !?

Thilak,
I'm not sure if I made myself clear. I mean to ask, "Dude! appo idhu varaikkum eduththadhellAm?!!"

Wokay. :)

[equanimus]

Yeah, but when we make a "Hey! Raam" or "Iruvar" !?

Thilak,
I'm not sure if I made myself clear. I mean to ask, "Dude! appo idhu varaikkum eduththadhellAm?!!"

Wokay. :)

Hindsight was the keyword. :) When Vasanthabalan goes to Cannes (god bless him, I am not miffed at all), there's a lot of talk as if we have made nothing like this before.

Of course, I find the oh-we-keep-churning-classics-but-America-just-doesn't-listen even more silly (much, much sillier) in comparison. Thangar Bachchaan in all seriousness says in one of his interviews that he has sent his Pallikkoodam to Cannes, and he expects a major award! (He did say 'best film' or something to that effect.) :omg:

[thilak4life]

Yeah, but when we make a "Hey! Raam" or "Iruvar" !?

Thilak,
I'm not sure if I made myself clear. I mean to ask, "Dude! appo idhu varaikkum eduththadhellAm?!!"

Wokay. :)

Hindsight was the keyword. :) When Vasanthabalan goes to Cannes (god bless him, I am not miffed at all), there's a lot of talk as if we have made nothing like this before.

Of course, I find the oh-we-keep-churning-classics-but-America-just-doesn't-listen even more silly (much, much sillier) in comparison. Thangar Bachchaan in all seriousness says in one of his interviews that he has sent his Pallikkoodam to Cannes, and he expects a major award! (He did say 'best film' or something to that effect.) :omg:

The point is, the lack of voice and reason. Except for a few quality reviewers, we have no good evaulation in place. We also have a very gullible audience who would end up thinking of "Tamil MA" in the same vein of a "Taxi driver" without seein' 'em or dissecting 'em!

[equanimus]

My only advice to Thangar would be, "Hey, Confidence ellAm nallA thAn irukku, unmaiyAve kooda nambunga, paravA illai. manasula Ayiram AsaigaL irukkum, but just don't tell anyone, least of all in a TV show!"

[equanimus]

The point is, the lack of voice and reason. Except for a few quality reviewers, we have no good evaulation in place. We also have a very gullible audience who would end up thinking of "Tamil MA" in the same vein of a "Taxi driver" without seein' 'em or dissecting 'em!

On that note, Thilak, here's (http://www.hindu.com/cp/2007/11/02/stories/2007110250060200.htm) the review of "No Smoking" at The Hindu. No prizes for guessing whose review it could be! Mind-numbingly stupid.

[thilak4life]

The point is, the lack of voice and reason. Except for a few quality reviewers, we have no good evaulation in place. We also have a very gullible audience who would end up thinking of "Tamil MA" in the same vein of a "Taxi driver" without seein' 'em or dissecting 'em!

On that note, Thilak, here's (http://www.hindu.com/cp/2007/11/02/stories/2007110250060200.htm) the review of "No Smoking" at The Hindu. No prizes for guessing whose review it could be! Mind-numbingly stupid.

:oops2: (I'm such a masochist when it comes to reading the Hindu reviews, although it's a matter of principle in avoiding this particular writer's junk 'diarrhea')

On my favorites..

this (http://www.desipundit.com/baradwajrangan/2007/10/30/review-no-smoking/) and another mini-writeup (http://jaiarjun.blogspot.com/2007/10/anurag-kashyaps-no-smoking-and-tarsem.html)here..

Now we're :smokesmirk: ! As for such 'voices', they are very less in number. :(

[ajithfederer]

:rotfl2: :rotfl:

That year I was really hoping Hey Ram gets nominated (i.e. makes it to final five).

The final winner was Crouching Tiger.... :evil: