Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies has been chosen as India’s official entry for the Oscars 2025, aiming for a nomination in the Best Foreign Film category. The film stars Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam, and Ravi Kishan. Interestingly, Aamir Khan, who supported the project, initially sought a role in the film. He even auditioned for the part played by Ravi Kishan but was deemed too big a star for the film’s needs.

Speaking at an ABP Majha event earlier this year, Aamir shared, “The story was really good, and there was a great character in it. I thought I would offer the story to Kiran; she might like it. I wanted to take on a role in the film, but Kiran said, ‘You are a very big star; my film is small, and you will disbalance it.’ I insisted on giving a screen test to see if I suited the role.” After the test, both Aamir and Kiran were pleased with the outcome but worried that his star power could raise expectations. Aamir even proposed undergoing a significant transformation, like Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder, but Kiran’s response was, “Toh faida kya hai?” which dissuaded him.

Laapataa Ladies tells the story of two young brides who get lost on the same train, inspired by an award-winning tale by Biplab Goswami. The screenplay and dialogues were crafted by Sneha Desai, with additional dialogues by Divyanidhi Sharma. The film was shot on location in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, incorporating real villagers and settings. Following a successful theatrical release in India in March, the film gained immense popularity on Netflix.

Produced by Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, Laapataa Ladies marks Kiran Rao’s directorial return after Dhobi Ghat. The film was also showcased at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023, where it received a standing ovation.