‘Pink’ director roots for ‘Newton’

KOLKATA: There were 26 films in contention for being selected as India’s entry to the 90th Academy Awards in Best Foreign Language Film category. Incidentally, only three Indian films — ‘Mother India’, ‘Salaam Bombay!’ and ‘Lagaan’—have made the final nominations list in Best Foreign Language Film category. But none of these three films have won the Oscar.
Amit V Masurkar’s ‘Newton’, which will represent India, was up against 25 other films before it got selected as the Indian entry to the Academy awards.Among these, there were 10 Hindi, 5 Marathi, 2 Bengali, 1 Tamil, 1 Pahari/Hindi, 2 Kannada, 2 Malayalam, 2 Telugu films. The list includes ‘Ventilator’, ‘Dear Zindagi’, ‘Jolly LLB 2’, ‘Toilet Ek Prem Katha’, ‘Oli Ki Suki’, ‘Sachin A Billion Dreams’, ‘Mukti Bhawan’, ‘Kahaani 2’, ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’, ‘Dangal’, ‘Poorna’, ‘Trapped’, ‘Gautamiputra Satkarni’, ‘Thondimuthalum Drikshakshiyum’, ‘Bisarjon’, ‘Maacher Jhol’, ‘Taramani’, ‘Baahubali 2’, ‘Shuddhi’, ‘Kasav’, ‘Kachcha Limbu’, ‘Angamaly Diaries’, ‘Rama Rama Re’, ‘Nadi Vahate’ and ‘Sound of Silence’.
Many film-buffs have wondered why Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s ‘Pink’ hasn’t featured in this list of 26 films that competed with each other before ‘Newton’ got chosen unanimously. However, the director points out that ‘Pink’ was not supposed to compete this year. “Though the film released last year, I don’t think it was sent. I think, the film wasn’t complete when the selection process had started,” Roy Chowdhury said. However, he isn’t complaining. “Our film got an excellent release. So many people watched it and are watching it now as well. All of us got so much of love. I can’t complain,” he added.
Meanwhile, he is thrilled with the selection of ‘Newton’ as the Indian entry. “The film is so minimalistic but is so big. It’s a very good movie and I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Hope it brings home an Oscar,” the ‘Pink’ director said.