Shoojit Sircar’s much talked about film ‘Sardar Udham’ will no longer be heading for the Oscars shortlist after jury members said it was unfair to hold on to hatred against the British.
The film was a contender as India’s official entry for the Oscars. Explaining why, Indraadip Dasgupta said that the film ‘portrays our hatred towards the British’, according to Hindustan Times.
He said, “Sardar Udham is a little lengthy and harps on the Jallianwala Bagh incident. It is an honest effort to make a lavish film on an unsung hero of the Indian freedom struggle. But in the process, it again projects our hatred towards the British. In this era of globalization, it is not fair to hold on to this hatred.”
Sumit Basu, also a part of the jury, said, “Many have loved Sardar Udham for its cinematic quality including camerawork, editing, sound design and depiction of the period. I thought the length of the film was an issue. It has a delayed climax. It takes a lot of time for a viewer to feel the real pain for the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.”
