Laapataa Ladies, India’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars, has found itself at the center of an unexpected backlash. 🎬🔥 The reason? A citation from the Film Federation of India (FFI) that describes Indian women as a “strange mix of submission and dominance,” which has not gone down well with many. 😬
What’s the Deal? 🤔
In an official document accompanying the Oscar submission, the FFI attempted to explain why Laapataa Ladies was the best contender. However, the description’s opening line, labeling Indian women as a “strange mix” of opposing traits, has sparked major outrage. Social media users took no time to slam the language used, pointing out how problematic it is, especially in a modern, feminist context. 🌐
To make things worse, critics have also highlighted that the FFI’s selection committee consisted of 13 men, which raised eyebrows about the perspective from which the citation was written. Many questioned the understanding of female representation by an all-male jury, leading to an outcry across platforms like X (formerly Twitter).
Film Federation of India’s citation on “Laapataa Ladies”.
— PowerPoint Guy (@Adi_183) September 23, 2024
“Indian women are a strange mixture of submission and dominance.”
“Strange mixture”? Really!!??
That’s the best you could come up with as an opening line. pic.twitter.com/7QOHwWuc3L
Social Media Erupts 💥
Users online were quick to voice their frustration, with one sarcastically suggesting, “Probably ChatGPT wrote that Jury’s citation for Laapataa Ladies (sic).” Others called out the FFI for reinforcing stereotypes rather than celebrating the complexity and power of Indian women in a meaningful way.
What’s Laapataa Ladies About? 🎥
Directed by Kiran Rao and written by Sneha Desai, Laapataa Ladies is a feminist narrative following two rural brides who get mistakenly exchanged at a railway station, sparking a whirlwind of adventures. The film explores themes of identity, freedom, and societal expectations in a humorous yet touching way. 🌟
Aamir Khan, who produced the film, expressed his excitement over the Oscars nod, calling it “the happiest news” and applauding the selection committee for choosing Laapataa Ladies to represent India. Despite the controversy surrounding the citation, the film has been celebrated as a refreshing, feminist story that resonates with audiences. 🎉
Will take a Bollywood chaap Woh stree hai kuch bhi kar sakti hai over such I don’t know…50 Shades of Grey summary. 😒 https://t.co/uu83zkC1mh
— Sukanya Verma (@SukanyaVerma) September 23, 2024
What’s the Bigger Issue? 🚩
The problematic citation has reignited discussions about how women are represented in official platforms, especially in global contexts like the Oscars. Describing women in terms that emphasize submission has been seen as a step back from empowering narratives, particularly for a movie that aims to break free of those very stereotypes. 😕💬
While Laapataa Ladies is being praised for its strong feminist message, the controversy around the FFI’s citation highlights how much work still needs to be done to ensure that women are portrayed in empowering and respectful ways, both on and off the screen. 👩🎤💪
Probably ChatGpt wrote that Jury's citation for Laapata Ladies
— Meenakshi V Ambwani (@meenaambwani) September 23, 2024
TL;DR 📢: Laapataa Ladies, India’s official Oscars entry, is facing backlash due to a controversial citation by the Film Federation of India, describing Indian women as a “mix of submission and dominance.” Social media has criticized the language, while fans continue to support the feminist film directed by Kiran Rao. 🌟 #Oscars2025 #LaapataaLadies
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