Short Malayalam film 'Jallikattu' has been chosen as India's official entry for the 93rd Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category. Based on a short story by Hareesh, the movie was directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery and stars Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad and Santhy Balachandran.
The film is based on the controversial bull-taming event traditionally held in Tamil Nadu and explores “the reducing differences between man and animal.” Filmmaker Rahul Rawail, Chairman, Jury Board, Film Federation of India, said, “There were a total of 27 films that had entered the race from Hindi, Malayalam, Oria, and Marathi. The film which has been nominated by the jury to represent India at Oscars is Malayalam film Jallikattu. It is a film that really brings out the raw problems which are there in human beings, that is we are worse than animals.”
Rawail said 'Jallikattu' is a production that the country should be proud of. “The whole film talks about an animal that has run amok. The film has been depicted wonderfully and it has been shot very well. The emotion that comes out really moved all of us to have it selected.”
The movie was chosen out of 27 films including 'The Disciple', 'Bhonsle', 'Chhalaang', 'Eeb Allay Ooo!', 'Gulabo Sitabo', 'Check Post', 'Atkan Chatkan', 'Serious Men', 'Bulbbul', 'Kaamyaab', 'The Sky is Pink', 'Chintu ka Birthday', and 'Bittersweet'.
