Laapataa Ladies Oscar selection has sparked a controversy in the Indian film industry. Kiran Rao's directorial film has been picked for the 97th Academy Awards over All We Imagine As Light. Film industry experts have criticized the Film Federation of India (FFI) over the decision to send Laapataa Ladies as India’s official entry to Oscars 2025. The debate is now joined by Guneet Monga who questioned the selection process. 

Oscar-winning producer Gunneet Monga claims that Laapataa Ladies does not meet the key requirement to be selected for the Academy Awards. According to her, the criteria for selection should prioritize films with US distribution over those deemed as the "best" domestically. The 2023 Oscar-winning film The Elephant Whisperers producer Guneet Monga argues that Aamir Khan produced movie lacks the key element required for an Oscars campaign—an American distributor.

Guneet Monga pointed out that FFI’s biggest mistake is that they choose films that they find are best rather than one that actually stands a chance to get through nominations. According to her, for an Indian film vying for an Oscar is important to have American distributors. Her film The Elephant Whisperers won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film in 2023.

In a recent interview with Mid-day, Guneet Monga said, “The biggest mistake the FFI makes is choosing what they feel is the best film, rather than one that has a real chance at scoring a nomination. I say this to everybody, if India has to choose a film for the Oscars, it’s very important that you have an American distributor. The more solid the distributor, the easier the journey.”

She further added, “Nominations are a very, very big deal. To win is out of a dream. The toughest part of the Oscars is going from the shortlist to the nomination.” Emphasizing how important it is to have international distributor, Gunnet Monga shared from her experience that her film The Elephant Whisperers, backed by Netflix, had the resources and strategy to pass. She mentioned Even Lagaan, which is the last Indian film be nominated for Best International Feature, had Sony Pictures Classics support in the US.

FFI President Ravi Kottakara defended the choice of Laapataa Ladies as India’s entry, saying that the selection committee felt All We Imagine As Light directed by Payal Kapadia seemed more like a "foreign film." Laapataa Ladies premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and did okay at the box office. In contrast, All We Imagine As Light is scheduled for a nationwide release in India in November and will be distributed in the US by Janus Films.

For the unversed, All We Imagine As Light won Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and shortlisted to France. The film starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, and Laapataaa Ladies cast Chhaya Kadam couldn’t make it to the Oscars.