Makers of Swatantrya Veer Savarkar claim film as official submission for ‘Oscars’: FFI clarifies
Mumbai: After the official announcement of Kiran Rao’s directorial Laapataa Ladies being selected as India’s entry for the Oscars, the makers of Randeep Hooda-starrer Swatantrya Veer Savarkar caused controversy by claiming on social media that their film was also officially submitted for the prestigious award, IndianExpress reported.
The post, shared by the film's co-producers, Sandeep Singh and Anand Pandit, on Instagram, expressed gratitude to the Film Federation of India (FFI) for their "remarkable appreciation," leading to widespread confusion. The post stated, “Honored and humbled! Our film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar has officially been submitted for the Oscars. Thank you Film Federation of India for this remarkable appreciation.”
However, FFI President Ravi Kottakara debunked these claims, clarifying that only Laapataa Ladies had been officially submitted by India for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards. He labeled the communication from the Swatantrya Veer Savarkar team as misleading, stating that “only Laapataa Ladies has been sent for the Oscars from India officially.”
While Swatantrya Veer Savarkar was among the 29 films initially considered by the FFI for India’s official Oscar submission, it was ultimately not selected. Despite this, the makers can independently submit their film to the Academy, which is allowed under the rules, although it would not carry the weight of an official country endorsement.
It is worth noting that, in 2022, SS Rajamouli's blockbuster RRR was independently submitted to the Oscars, despite Last Film Show being India’s official selection, and went on to win the Best Original Song category for "Naatu Naatu." Similarly, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi was independently submitted in several key categories the same year.
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Accused in Panambur Beach murder case arrested from Chombala near Kozhikode
Mangaluru: Mangaluru police have arrested a 50-year-old man from Kozhikode, Kerala, in connection with the murder of a 39-year-old man near Panambur Beach in Mangaluru. The accused, identified as Dharmaraj Suvarna, a resident of Thotabengre in Mangaluru, was arrested on Thursday night by a team of officers from the Panambur Police Station.
The victim, Muttu Basavaraj Vaddar, also known as Mudukappa, hailed from Amingada in Bagalkot. He had reportedly been on friendly terms with Suvarna. According to the police, the incident that led to the murder began over a dispute involving a mobile phone. Suvarna had recently purchased a new phone, which was borrowed by Mudukappa. Mudukappa allegedly damaged the device and did not return it, leading to escalating tensions between the two men.
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On Sunday, the disagreement culminated in a violent altercation, during which Suvarna allegedly struck Mudukappa with a wooden log, resulting in his death. Mudukappa's body was later discovered near the shore at Thotabengre estuary, raising concerns among local residents.
Following the discovery of the body, the Panambur Police registered a case and launched an investigation. Acting on credible information about Suvarna's whereabouts, the police team tracked him to Chombala in Kozhikode. The operation, carried out within the Chombala Police Station limits, led to Suvarna's arrest late at night.
