India’s Official Entry for Oscars: 5 Things to Know About Gujarati Film ‘Chhello Show’

Gujarati film titled ‘Chhello Show’ has secured India’s official entry into the prestigious Oscars. A tweet by news agency PTI read, “Gujarati film Chhello Show is India’s official entry for Oscars 2023: Film Federation of India.” 

Following this, reactions started pouring in from the film world, all of them carrying the same message — the film deserves the honour. 

Directed by Pan Nalin, Chhello Show has made headlines not only for being chosen as the official entry but also for its unique storyline that manages to strike a chord in every heart. 

Nalin said in a tweet that he can “now breathe again and believe in cinema that entertains, inspires and enlightens”. 

Here are five facts to know about this film: 

1. The plot is heartwarming: 

How often has the world of cinema seemed more than the glitz and glamour? Samay, a nine-year-old boy, is intrigued by the magic that lies behind filmmaking, the shadows and light that need to blend in perfectly to produce a film. And he decides to pursue this passion. 

What makes the storytelling unique is that it bears an association with director Pan Nalin’s memories of how he was fascinated by cinema. 

2. The Oscar entry is not the first recognition: 

The film has also won hearts at previous film festivals. These include the Golden Spike at the 66th Valladolid Film Festival in Spain in 2021. It was also nominated for the Tiantan Awards at the 11th Beijing International Film Festival 2021. 

3. A spectacular cast: 

The film stars Bhavin Rabari, Vikas Bata, Richa Meena, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval, and Rahul Koli, and is directed by Pan Nalin who has also been the brains behind films like Samsara (2001), Ayurveda: Art of Being (2002), Valley of Flowers (2006) and Angry Indian Goddesses (2015). 

4. Chosen amongst some of the best films: 

President of the Film Federation of India (FFI), TP Aggarwal said that choosing the film as India’s official entry into the Oscars was a unanimous decision. 

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He said to PTI, “The 17-member jury unanimously chose ‘Chhello Show’. There [was] a total of 13 films in different languages including six in Hindi– Brahmastra, The Kashmir Files, Anek, Jhund, Badhaai Do and Rocketry– and one each in Tamil (Iravin Nizhal), Telugu (RRR), Bengali (Aparajito) and Gujarati (Chhello Show) as well as few others.”

5. A pinch of nostalgia has made it win hearts: 

Bhavin Rabari, who plays Samay, has debuted as an actor in this film and anyone who watches it will be transported back into their childhood days when the world of cinema seemed like a dream. The film also has something for those who remember their childhood days watching films that had long reels. The movie is set against a landscape of transition from this to digital. 

Currently, the film has been chosen as India’s submission to the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th Academy Awards. Following this, the film now needs to bag a nomination to be shortlisted for the honourable award.

The 95th Oscars will be held on 12 March 2023 at Los Angeles’ Dolly Theatre.

Watch the official trailer for Chhello Show here: 

Edited by Yoshita Rao