India's official entry 'Laapataa Ladies' out of Oscars 2025 race
New Delhi (PTI): "Laapataa Ladies", India's official entry in the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards, is out of the Oscars race.
The Hindi film, directed by Kiran Rao, is not part of the shortlist of 15 features that will be vying for a spot in the final five, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Wednesday morning.
However, British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri's "Santosh", starring Indian actors Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar, representing the UK, has made it to list that also includes France's "Emilia Pérez", "I'm Still Here" (Brazil), "Universal Language" (Canada), "Waves" (Czech Republic), "The Girl with the Needle" (Denmark), and "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" from Germany.
The other contenders in the category are "Touch" (Iceland), "Kneecap" (Ireland), "Vermiglio" (Italy), "Flow" (Latvia), "Armand" (Norway), "From Ground Zero" (Palestine), "Dahomey" (Senegal), and "How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies" (Thailand).
The final Oscar nominations will be announced on January 17.
According to the Academy, 85 countries or regions had submitted films that were eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards.
"Santosh", which marks Suri's feature directorial debut, revolves around a newly widowed housewife (Goswami) who inherits her late husband's job as a police constable and becomes embroiled in the investigation of a young girl's murder.
India's official entry "Laapataa Ladies" ("Lost Ladies" in English) is a gently subversive feminist drama which is set in rural India in the early 2000s. Sneha Desai wrote the screenplay and dialogues of "Laapataa Ladies", based on a story by Biplab Goswami. Divyanidhi Sharma penned additional dialogues.
It follows two brides who get swapped on the day of their wedding during a train ride. It stars Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta as the brides Phool and Jaya, respectively, with Sparsh Shrivastav playing the hapless groom in search of his wife.
Chhaya Kadam, Ravi Kishan, and Geeta Agrawal Sharma also round out its cast.
"Laapataa Ladies", which had its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), released in theatres on March 1 to great reviews. It is backed by Rao's Kindling Productions, Aamir Khan Productions, and Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios.
In September, the Film Federation of India (FFI) unanimously chose "Laapataa Ladies" as India's official entry to the Oscars from a list of 29 films, including Bollywood hit "Animal", Malayalam National Award winner "Aattam" and Cannes winner "All We Imagine As Light".
At the time, the 13-member all-male jury of FFI courted controversy on social media for their citation about the film. Many on social media said the brief went against the message the film was trying to convey.
The citation by the federation read: "Indian women are a strange mixture of submission and dominance. Well-defined, powerful characters in one world, a Laapataa Ladies (Hindi) captures this diversity perfectly, though in a semi-idyllic world and in a tongue-in-cheek way."
Besides "Santosh", "Anuja" is another film with an Indian connect that has advanced to the next stage of the Oscars. It is one of the 15 films to be selected in the Live Action Short category.
The New Delhi-set short film follows a gifted nine-year-old Anuja, who must make a choice between education and factory work alongside her sister - a decision that will shape both their futures. It stars Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbhag.
"Anuja" is directed by Adam J Graves and Suchitra Mattai, and has two-time Oscar winning producer Guneet Monga on board as executive producer and Hollywood star-writer Mindy Kaling as producer.
On Wednesday morning, the Academy also announced shortlists in eight other categories: Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, and Sound and Visual Effects.
"Lagaan", set in the pre-independence era, was the last Indian film to enter the top five nominations in the best international feature film category (formerly called best foreign film) at Oscars 2002.
Only two other films have previously made it to the final five and they are the Nargis-starrer "Mother India" and Mira Nair's "Salaam Bombay!"
Last year, "Naatu Naatu", the peppy, foot-tapping chartbuster from SS Rajamouli's Telugu period action film "RRR", won the Academy Award in the best original song category along with "The Elephant Whisperers", directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Monga's Sikhya Entertainment, winning the Oscar in the Best Documentary Short Film category.
Late night host and comedian Conan O'Brien will host the Academy Awards on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, Los Angeles.
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How Indian AI Is Booming with GEOX AI Leading the Next Wave of Geolocation Intelligence
TraceX Labs has announced the launch of GEOX AI, an advanced artificial intelligence platform capable of identifying the real-world location where a photograph or video was taken using only the visual content within the media.
Positioned as an enterprise-grade intelligence solution, GEOX AI leverages advanced computer vision and multi-agent AI to analyze pixel-level details such as architecture, road patterns, vegetation, signage, lighting, and environmental context. By interpreting these visual clues, the system can estimate—and in many cases precisely determine—the origin of an image or video.
AI-Powered Geolocation Intelligence
Marketed under the concept of “Locate Anywhere From Any Image,” GEOX AI is designed for intelligence operations where speed, accuracy, and reliability are critical. The platform currently supports:
- 400+ analyses available
- <10 seconds average response time
- Up to 99% accuracy on landmark-based identification
- Global coverage across diverse terrains and environments
Core Capabilities
GEOX AI integrates multiple intelligence features into a single platform:
- Precise Geolocation:
Identifies exact geographic coordinates using visual landmarks, architecture, vegetation, and cultural indicators. - Satellite Map View:
Results are plotted on live satellite imagery with 2D/3D viewing options and multiple map styles for deeper analysis. - AI Reasoning Analysis:
Provides a detailed explanation of how the system arrived at a conclusion, including confidence scoring. - Multi-Result Analysis:
Returns multiple possible locations ranked by confidence, enabling cross-verification. - Intelligence PDF Export:
Allows one-click generation of professional reports containing maps, coordinates, analysis, and structured findings. - Credit-Based Access:
Agencies are allocated credits, with each analysis consuming one credit. Additional credits can be requested directly.
Speed Meets Intelligence
GEOX AI is designed to balance rapid processing with analytical depth:
- Fast Mode: Delivers results within seconds for clear and high-context images
- Advanced Mode: Performs deeper multi-step analysis for complex or ambiguous visuals
- Built for real-time decision-making in high-pressure environments
How GEOX AI Works
The platform follows a simple and efficient workflow:
- Upload any image or video frame
- AI analyzes visual clues such as structures, terrain, and environment
- The system identifies location with coordinates, confidence score, and reasoning
- Results are displayed on an interactive satellite map
- Export a professional intelligence report in one click
A Breakthrough for Investigations
GEOX AI is expected to have wide-ranging applications across multiple domains:
- Tracking the origin of images from social media and open sources
- Supporting digital forensics and cyber investigations
- Assisting law enforcement and intelligence operations
- Helping journalists and OSINT analysts verify visual content
- Providing support in missing person cases and threat intelligence scenarios
Enterprise Access and Deployment
GEOX AI is available to verified law enforcement agencies, intelligence organizations, and authorized enterprises. Access is provided through a structured system where organizations can request credentials and define their operational use cases.
Interested users can request access via tracexlabs.com or contact contact@tracexlabs.com, with response times typically within 24–48 hours.
Privacy Debate Intensifies
The launch of GEOX AI has also sparked renewed discussion around digital privacy. By demonstrating how location data can be extracted purely from visible elements within images, the platform highlights the potential risks associated with sharing photos online without considering what those visuals may reveal.
Conclusion
With GEOX AI, TraceX Labs is entering the rapidly evolving geolocation intelligence space with a platform that combines speed, precision, and real-world usability. As artificial intelligence continues to advance, tools like GEOX AI are expected to play a critical role in shaping the future of investigations, security, and digital intelligence.
