P.S. Vinothraj’s ‘Koozhangal’ is India’s Official Entry for Oscars 2022

The movie follows an alcoholic abusive husband who sets out with his young son to find his long-suffering wife and bring her back.

New Delhi: Tamil drama Koozhangal (Pebbles), directed by filmmaker P.S. Vinothraj  has been selected as India’s official entry for the 94th Academy Awards.

The movie follows an alcoholic abusive husband who sets out with his young son to find his long-suffering wife and bring her back.

Koozhangal stars a host of newcomers and is produced by Vignesh Shivan and Nayanthara.

Shivan shared the news of the film’s selection on Twitter.

Also read: ‘Koozhangal’ Is a Masterful Film About the Mutation of Misery

“There’s a chance to hear this! And the Oscars goes to… Two steps away from a dream come true moment in our lives… #Pebbles #Nayanthara @PsVinothraj @thisisysr @AmudhavanKar @Rowdy_Pictures Can’t be prouder , happier & content,” he posted on the microblogging sire.

Vinothraj said he was grateful for all the love and support.

“Could not be more happier to receive this news,” he tweeted.

Koozhangal had won the top honour, the Tiger Award for best film, at the 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), earlier this year.

The 94th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 27, 2022 in Los Angeles.

In a review of the film, Tanul Thakur wrote, “Koozhangal doesn’t rely on revealing dialogues or intricate plot turns. Its story can be summarised in a short sentence. It almost risks being an art-house cliché: a sparse quiet drama, much like the lives of its characters, where nothing much happens. But the magic of the film lies in the way it is told – deriving its powers from silence and visual storytelling.”

According to Scroll, the announcement was made by Shaji N. Karun, the chairperson of the 15-member selection committee. The decision was unanimous, said FFI Secretary General Supran Sen. The committee is set up by the Film Federation of India to pick the movie that will best represent Indian cinema at the Oscars.

Fourteen films were shortlisted for consideration this year. These included Amit Masurkar’s human-animal conflict drama Sherni, Shoojit Sircar’s biopic Sardar Udham, the Yogi Babu-led Tamil political satire Mandela, and Martin Prakkat’s Malayalam film Nayattu.

(With inputs from PTI)