It was disappointing but what can one do?: Zoya Akhtar on 'Gully Boy' being dropped out of Oscars 2020 race

By Gurpreet Kaur

on December 20, 2019

Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy, which was India's official entry to the Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category, is out of the race.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday released a shortlist of ten films in the Best Foreign Language Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards, and Gully Boy failed to make the list.

During a recent interaction with a daily, Zoya was asked about the same, to which she said, "It is upsetting in the sense that people say, 'Oh s***t, it didn't make it!' It was disappointing, but what can one do? You move on to your next film." She further added, "We went through the entire process. But one doesn't know how the system works there. The people there are not fully aware either as the system keeps evolving. You have to rely on the publicists to guide you."

Meanwhile, Gully Boy is based on the lives of rappers Naved Shaikh, popularly known as Naezy, and Divine (Vivian Fernandes), although many have noted stylistic and narrative likeness with the Hollywood biopic, Straight Outta Comption. In the film, Ranveer's character used rap as a tool to express his views on society and life in Dharavi, one of the largest slums of Asia. The film became a superhit on release in February.

The Oscars will take place in Los Angeles on February 9, 2020.

(Source: Mid-Day)