Amol Palekar: I sincerely feel Court can bring us an Oscar

'It was a daunting task to select one film from India where film production is so prolific,' Amol Palekar tells Subhash K Jha.

Veteran actor and thespian Amol Palekar was commissioned to chair the jury to select India's official entry to Oscar 2016 and what a commendable job he did!

But that doesn't mean it was entirely devoid of criticism and detractors.

Amidst cheers and disgruntled noises, Palekar walks Subhash K Jha through the steps that led to Court's selection:

It looks like jury member Rahul Rawail is not happy with you.

(Laughs) Every year there are such controversies in the process of selecting the film.

Having said this, I feel we should all be happy with the selection. I feel, on behalf of the entire jury, that finally we’re sending a film that may make India's presence felt at the Oscars.

Your decision to send Court to the Oscars has met with a thumping approval from the industry. What made you pick Court over the others?

It was a daunting task to select one film from India where film production is so prolific.

We have outright commercial cinema on one hand and non-commercial cinema in both Hindi and regional languages on the other hand. There was also a geographical segregation to be dealt with.

How do you mean?

Regional cinema always feels overshadowed by commercial cinema. And if there is a very wide gap among the jury members regarding their sensibilities and aesthetics, it becomes more difficult to come to a consensus.

Jury member Rahul Rawail has called you 'obnoxious' and 'manipulative'?

I choose not to respond to these kind of allegations. It is unfortunate that he has spoken like this.

As the chairman of the jury, I cannot respond to such individual disgruntled voices that are associated with hardcore Bollywood cinema. I leave it at that.

Do you think jury members should express their grievances publicly?

All the jury members had given an undertaking to the film federation to maintain secrecy and confidentiality about the process of selection. 

I’d like to retain my grace under any circumstance. I wouldn’t breach it for anything.

Was it difficult to choose Court from among all the contenders?

I feel very happy and proud as an Indian and a film person that we had such a tough time selecting one film. We had more than one contender. We deliberated over, dissected and discussed every possible viewpoint before we chose the final film.

We are blessed to have such a variety of films.

Credit for choosing Court goes to you and your jury?

No, to (director) Chaitanya Tamhane for making such a film. We’ve done the selection. Now the film has to go out there and try its luck.

You really feel Court can get us an Oscar?

I sincerely hope it does, and I am making this statement on behalf of the entire jury. We feel this one may bring us that so far elusive Oscar.

But Court doesn’t have the resources to lobby in Los Angeles?

I’m in no position to comment on that. It’s up to them how they take it further.