Rima Das on Village Rockstars getting selected as India's Oscars 2019 entry: 'Happiest day of my life'

Rima Das’ Assamese film Village Rockstars, which was named Best Feature Film at the 65th National Film Awards, is India’s official entry for the 2019 Oscars, in the Best Foreign Language film category. The announcement was made by the Film Federation of India on the morning of 22 September 2018, Saturday. An eminent all-India jury constituted by FFI under the chairmanship of producer Rajendra Singh Babu chose Rima Das’ much-feted films from amongst other contenders like Raazi, Padmaavat Hichki, October, Love Sonia, Gulabjaam, Mahanati, Pihu, Kadvi Hawa, Bhogda, Revaa, Bioscopewala, Manto, 102 Not out, Padman, Bhayanakam, Ajji, Nude and Gali Guliiyan. Talking about her reaction after hearing the news, Das told  The Indian Express that it was “the happiest day” of her life. Rima said that she had received hints of the news on Friday night itself but had to keep it under wraps. Currently in her village Kalardiya, in Assam’s Chaygaon, Das plans on celebrating this achievement with family, cast and friends. “Village Rockstars is the closest film made by international standards [sic]. Very proud and to select this film and send it to the Oscars,” jury member Anant Mahadevan was quoted by The Indian Express as saying. [caption id=“attachment_5238081” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Still from Rima Das’ Village Rockstars[/caption] The 91st Academy Awards will be held on 24 February 2019. Village Rockstars, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and India premiere at the Jio MAMI 19th Mumbai Film Festival in October last year, has been screened in more than 70 international and national film festivals and  won 44 awards , including four National Awards for best location, sound recording, editing and child artiste (Bhanita Das). Its theatrical release in India is scheduled for 28 September 2018. About its India release Rima Das said, “After travelling to many film festivals across the world and winning hearts, I am so delighted that the exciting journey of Village Rockstars has come to its final stage when we prepare with nervous anticipation and hope to present the film to the audiences in our homeland.”

Set in Das’ own village Chhaygaon in Assam, Village Rockstars is the story of “poor but amazing children” who live a fun-filled life. It has, at its center an Assamese village girl, named Dhunu, who aspires to become a rockstar one day.

— With inputs from Indo-Asian News Service