Is Gully Boy actually worth an Oscar entry?

To begin with, it is not always about selecting the 'Best Film' at the Oscars. If India were to send the Best Movie to the Oscars, the Tamil movie, 'Super Deluxe' should have been a sure shot choice to send to the Oscars. But Oscars is not about sending the best of what India has, but the movie that can bring home an Oscar.

                                    

•  To begin with, this year at the Oscars, India shall have the advantage of its visibility among the 6000+ jury  members because of the movie's director Zoya Akhtar and costume designer Arjun Bhasin are among the members of the jury which also gives them a chance of networking and trying to juice in maximum votes from the jury for their film. Thus, increasing nomination chances (if not winning!) 

                                             

• History is proof that the Academy prefers movies based on the underdog stories set in rural India/slums backed by actors who bring to life the super-strong emotions. Emotion in world cinema is something which is not as openly expressed as in Indian cinema. Hence, when people see something emotional, they tend to incline in that direction as it gives them the sheer joy of something being expressed.

                                             

• To people criticizing that the Malyali Movie ' Kumbalangi Nights', not considered even in the list of movies that could potentially be selected for Oscars is basically because the movie was not even submitted to the film federation of India for consideration by the producers and only the movies that are submitted to the board are considered and a theatrical release is a must for movies to be considered for Oscars which was unlike the case for the Rima Das movie, "Bulbul Can Sing".

                                                      

• And finally, the most talked-about contender for the Oscars, 'Andhadhun' failed to make it as the official entry mainly because 'Andhadhun' lacked novelty or to put it in other words, the western audiences have seen true blue thrillers like Andhadhun which mess with your mind with open endings. Hence, Gully Boy made it through. 

                                             

Finally, to conclude India's chances of winning are fairly decent considering the previous releases and something that needs to be majorly and thoroughly checked is the Right Subtitling. If the subtitling strikes a chord and keeps the essence of emotions intact, Zoya might just bring an Oscar home!

P.S. To anyone saying that 'Gully Boy' is a copy or similar to '8  miles', kindly watch 8 miles and then we can chat!