Why RDB was wrong one for Oscar

India’s race for the coveted Oscar statuette ended with a whimper on Wednesday when Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s blockbuster Rang De Basanti failed to figure in the nominations shortlist.

Instead, Deepa Mehta’s Water - a controversial movie on the widows of Varanasi that was ultimately shot in Sri Lanka – made it to the list, albeit as Canada's official entry.

While all is not over yet for Rang De Basanti - the movie has been nominated in the foreign film category at BAFTA – the disappointment is palpable.

This has led many to wonder if Rang De … was the wrong choice for the Oscars. Would some other film have made the cut?

This was the big debate on CNN-IBN show Face the Nation with Anubha Bhonsle. On the panel of experts were CEO UTV and producer of Rang De Basanti Ronnie Screwvala, actor Seema Biswas (she has played a prominent role in Deepa Mehta's Water) and film critic Meenakshi Shedde. She is also the advisor on Indian cinema for several International festivals like the Cannes, the Berlin, the Venice festival.

The audience loved the film Rang De Basanti. It was well directed, it had good production values and a great screenplay among other things. Why did it not make the Oscar cut?

“I think this year has been phenomenal for cinema. The Golden Globes have also shown some diverse ones. I think the US audience has been tilted towards American cinema. Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson had two winners there in the foreign language category and that gives them a headstart as they are based in the US. But sitting here, I think out of 4,500 jury members in the Academy out of which 500 vote for the foreign language film, I think it’s anyone’s guess which one they will pick. But it was a great experience and we are going to be there year after year in any case,” said Ronnie Screwvala.

When Clint Eastwood figures in the foreign language category you wonder what it’s all about. But when and Academy jury member actually sits down to watch these films, they probably do not have box office collections on their mind, because Rang De Basanti was such a huge commercial success back at home. Was the Film Federation of India right in choosing the film to send to the Oscars.

“The Film Federation of India is a trade body and I don’t know how much they know about artistic criteria for the Oscars or for the A-listed festivals like Cannes, Berlin, Venice and festivals in an International setting. For me, Omkara was infinitely the better choice. It was a classy film. Also, it is the perfect example of a film being glocal in terms of having a global resonance being extremely local. I thought the chances of a film like that were much better,” said critic Meenakshi Shedde.

Omkara, a better choice for the Oscars?

Omkara was an adaptation of one of the world’s best-known plays Othello, with songs moving the film. Would the Academy hury members adapted better to that story line than to Rang De Basanti’s?

“Omkara had more of an universal resonance and certainly a kind of international caliber. I loved Rang De Basanti as well but there were things about it that bothered me big-time. Essentially, we are talking about a generation that is disillusioned and comparing it with an older one that is idealist. I don’t know if the Oscar guys were big-time into Bhagat Singh and Rajguru. But if you take a film like Water which is about widows, set in the 30’s, to me, Deepa Mehta’s a filmmaker of some caliber and it annoyed me that she would deal with the subject of widows not in today’s time but setting it decades ago. It was beautifully of course, but to me it seemed like just a calculated move to toss in Gandhi. Plus, I don’t know if a pretty model is a wonderful actress for a lead. Lisa Ray is gorgeous but I don’t know if she makes a fantastic actress,” said Meenakshi Shedde.

To Meenakshi Shedde’s point, Anubha Bhonsle asked Ronnie Screwala whether having Rajguru, Bhagat Singh and other historical references would make any sense to the Academy jury, even though they would resonate in the Indian audience?

“Yes, definitely we have a very US-tilted jury and that could be the reason why Rand De made it to the BAFTA shortlist of five movies, since it is a British film academy because the storyline is more British and European from that point of view. But I don’t think it’s for anyone to pontify since 61 films enter into the category, 5 get nominated and one wins. That’s how it works and it’s the journey that counts,” he said.

There has indeed been a lot to learn in the process. Turning to Seema Biswas, Anubha Bhonsle asked her what it was like working in a Deepa Mehta production?

“It was wonderful going through the whole process as an actress, joining the unit 20-27 days before for discussions etc, I enjoyed it very much. It was focused, away from everything. We had lots of hot discussions,” said Seems Biswas.

A learning experience

As Ronnie Screwvala said, the whole process was a learning experience. It’s often said that when you enter a film into a category, the jury may or may not even see the film. So is there an Oscar marketing strategy that Indian films have not cracked.

“Honestly, it’s very streamlined. Out of the 500 jury member who vote for the foreign language film, maximum all of them see only ¼ of that and divide themselves into four groups of 125 people. So your entire focus is on 125 people. Secondly, you are not allowed to be at any of the screenings, you are not allowed to deliver DVDs to their house. So from that point of view it’s pretty cold cut. Outside of that you can use trade magazines specifically to talk about the message. So it’s as meritorious and straight-forward as it can get. It’s really because of the US studios with all their lobbying power used to use a great amount of influence on the jury members and that’s why the change has taken place now,” said Ronnie Screwvala.

Appealing to foreign sensibilities

But does the Oscar jury have a mind-set, is it looking for stereotypical films when they come from foreign land and that’s something they are not willing to accept when it comes to a Rang De Basanti kind of film?

“It’s a subjective point of view and within that, firstly the 500 people are elderly, the average age being over 80. They obviously have a different mind-set. Secondly, they are substantially North America-centric in their approach. I think they are looking for movies that touch them. Indian movies still have a challenge, which is duration, in terms of things that appeal to US sensitivity,” said Ronnie Screwvala.

In terms of appealing to foreign sensitivities, does the world recognise Indian cinema?

“It does, but take a look at the images that come out of our successful film like Rang De Basanti. I think the film is extremely assured and it captures the youth energy and it’s frustration very well. But what was annoying was the message it was giving out. Here is India in a globalised world with complete assurance and confidence, and this film is telling you that if it weren’t for a two-bit, out-of-work foreigner girl, they wouldn’t have know where to head for? And I think, is that what we want to tell the girl? On the other hand, when I saw Water at a festival in Korea, every one came out and said, ‘Oh, you are Indian, are all widows in India like that?’ They think we have not really progressed since the 30’s. These are the shining examples of what is being recognised as Indian cinema in the world and look at the messages we are giving out,” said Meenakshi Shedde.

Many would say any cultural artistic relationship needs to have some sort of a mutual respect. But as far as Water is concerned, what could be the reason for it to have made the cut to the shortlist? What was the one thing in the film that really stood out?

“It was an honest and a very human story. It was universal. At many festivals I met widows who told me they had different kinds of rituals and similar sentiments,” said Seema Biswas.

So do Oscars really matter? “Oscars is a recognition and so are all awards. They are just 10 per cent of what movies are made for. It’s a cult movie and it has redefined the way movies are made,” said Seema Biswas.

Does Rang De Basanti then have a chance at the BAFTA’s?

“I think so because there is clearly a British connection there,” said Meenakshi Shedde.

Anubha Bhonsle asked Seema Biswas what she thought Indian filmmakers now need to focus on.

“Maybe they should go a little International. I liked Rang De Basanti very much and expected it to be shortlisted. But maybe now we should keep International sentiments in mind,” she concluded.

Results of the SMS poll:

Was Rang De Basanti a wrong choice for the Oscars?

Yes: 38 per cent

No: 62 per cent

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