'Water' hot favourite for Foreign Language film Oscar

New Delhi, Feb 25 (UNI) As the countdown for the Oscars night begins with the coveted awards all set to be unveiled tomorrow morning at a gliterring function in the United States, Deepa Mehta's 'Water' has emerged as a strong favourite in the Best Foreign Language Film category, this raising hopes of finally breaking the "Oscars jinx" for Indian filmmakers.

On the eve of the Oscars ceremony, the John Abraham, Lisa Ray-starrer about the condition of widows in 1930's India is being considered a hot favourite for the Oscar in Best foreign Language film category along with 'Pan Labirynth' from Mexico.

No wonder then, there is tremendous excitement in film circles in India over what they see as another chance for a venture by an Indian filmmaker to bag the Oscars award, which has eluded any Indian film in the over six decade-long history of Indian cinema.

This is more so after 'Rang De Basanti' , chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars, failed to reach the final five at the Oscars. Also, though the film secured a nomination at the British Film and Television Academy awards last month, it did not win any award at the BAFTA awards, the winners for which were announced last week.

'Rang De Basanti' was pipped by Mexican film Pans Labyrinth to the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards (BAFTA) awards in the Best Foreign Language film category.

According to Ravi Chopra of B R Films, who has been instrumental in distributing 'Water' in India, 'Water' , which bagged an Oscar nomination in the Best foreign Language Film category last month along with 'Pan's Labrinth' (Mexico), 'After The Wedding' (Denmark), 'Days of Glory' and the German Cold War drama 'The Lives of Others', is a sweet and beautiful film, which, having won accolades and box office success galore in the US, is a strong contendor for the Oscar.

''Water is a film which has won accolades and box office success galore in the US. In this sense, it is a film that has made India proud in the West and, hence, stands a strong chance to bag the Oscars award in the Best Foreign Language Film category.'' Observers may feel that 'Water' making a mark at the prestigious awards is a 'kudos' for Canadian cinema than an achievement for Indian cinema - 'Water' bagged the Oscar nomination as an entry from Canada, and not India; also the Oscars nomination for 'Water' is in large part a result of the huge promotional efforts for the film by its Canadian producers - but those in film circles feel that an Oscars nomination for 'Water' can be called a 'Feather in the Cap' for the Indian cinema.

Says Chopra about 'Water',''a scene that really touched me was the one where Gandhiji is blessing the widows with his favourite song 'Vaishnav Jan Ko Dini Kahiye' playing in the background. In a way the film carries forward the message of Gandhiji to treat all sections of the society with compassion and without any discrimination. Viewed in this context, 'Water' truly reflects the Indian philosophy.'' Talking to the media in the Capital last week, Deepa Mehta, while expressing a tinge of regret about the film not being sent from India as an entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category nevertheless acknowledged India's contribution to the making of the film.

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