Gujarati film Chhello Show beats RRR and is now India’s official entry for Oscars; Director Nalin Pan reacts

India's official entry for the Oscars in 2023 has been declared by the Film Federation of India. Chhello Show, a Gujarati movie that is known as the Last Film Show in English, has been accepted as India's official submission for the 95th Academy Awards. It was chosen for the Best Foreign Feature Film category. The film, which is helmed by Pan Nalin and has the English title Last Film Show, will debut in theatres across the nation on October 14. Many super hits from this year including SS Rajamouli’s RRR and Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files were also running in the race for the official entry but unfortunately, Chhello Show won it.

Chhello Show (Last Film) becomes India’s official entry for the 95th Academy Awards

As soon as this news was announced, the film’s director shared his joy in his Tweet which read, "OMG! What a night this is going to be! Gratitude to the Film Federation of India and thank you FFI jury members. Thank you for believing in Chhello Show. Now I can breathe again and believe in cinema that entertains, inspires, and enlightens!

OMG! What a night this going to be! Gratitude to Film Federation of India and thank you FFI jury members. Thank you for believing in Chhello Show. Now I can breathe again and believe in cinema that entertains, inspires and enlightens! @LastFilmShow1 #ChhelloShow #Oscars

— Nalin Pan (@PanNalin) September 20, 2022

Chhello Show follows a nine-year-old child who is fascinated by the magic and science of light and shadow that underlies celluloid film projection. It is set in the dawn of the digital age. He navigates social constraints and economic insecurity while pursuing his passion for the "film show" with unwavering commitment, blind to the impending technological change. It is a real, organic, and intense narrative centered on movies, food, and friends.

Lagaan, starring Aamir Khan, was the last Indian movie to advance to the top five in 2001. The other two Indian films that made it into the top five were Mother India (1958) and Salaam Bombay (1989). The 95th Academy Awards are expected to take place in Los Angeles on March 12, 2023.