Oscars 2024: 2018 Everyone is a Hero, starring Tovino Thomas, is India's official entry

Tovino Thomas starrer 2018: Everyone is a Hero is India's official entry for Oscars 2024, the Film Federation of India announced on Wednesday. The Malayalam film, directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, is a survival drama about the 2018 Kerala floods. One of the highest grossers of Malayalam cinema, 2018 Movie focuses on how a community joins hands to overcome the odds. The film was initially released in Malayalam and later in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. Besides Thomas, the film's star cast includes Kunchako Boban, Tanvi Ram and Aparna Balamurali. 

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Girish Kasaravalli, noted filmmaker and chairman of the selection committee announced that the Malayalam movie has been picked for its very relevant theme on climate change and the travails of people vis-a-vis what has been understood as development in society. As per PTI, the FFI said in a statement, "The film 2018-Everyone is a Hero represents India and the theme of the film is calamity humans face." 

The FFI had invited applications from Indian films between August 15 to September 10. As many as 22 films including The Kerala Story (Hindi), Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway (Hindi), Balagam (Telugu),Vaalvi (Marathi), Baaplyok (Marathi) and August 16, 1947 (Tamil) were considered before picking the Malayalam flick, directed by Jude Anthany Joseph. 

Last year, Pan Nalin directed Chhello Show was picked as India's official entry for the Academy Awards. 

India’s previous Oscar entries include Koozhangal (2021), Jallikattu (2020), Gully Boy (2019), Village Rockstars (2018), Newton (2017), Visaranani (2016). These, however, failed to make it to the Oscar nomination list. The only Indian films to have been nominated for an Oscar so far have been Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan.

Last year, India made history at the Oscars by bagging two awards. SS Rajamouli-directed RRR secured the Oscar for Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu while Kartiki Gonsalves' The Elephant Whisperers won the Best Documentary (Short Subject).

(With PTI inputs)