- विज्ञापन -
Mumbai: Indian film producer Vinta Nanda has spoken out about what she perceives as an unfairness in the Oscars nomination process. In a recent Instagram post, she criticised the practice of crediting curators with Oscar nominations and awards, while the efforts of the filmmakers and producers who create the movies themselves are largely ignored.
Nanda did not name any specific individuals in her post, but she did express her frustration, writing: “The system is terribly flawed these days. Curators are walking away with Oscar nominations and awards as producers, while the hard work of the artists and their producers is completely forgotten. What kind of world are we living in?”
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The Anuja Controversy
Nanda’s comments appeared to be a veiled reference to the short film Anuja, which was nominated for Best Live Action Short at the 97th Academy Awards. Some people believe that actors Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Guneet Monga were given producer credits on the film despite not being significantly involved in its production.
In an interview with leading news portal, Nanda elaborated on her views. “The real producers of Anuja are nowhere to be seen on the credits list, while Guneet Monga and Priyanka Chopra Jonas are listed as the first two producers. I’m sure Anuja is a fantastic film, just like The Elephant Whisperers. But it seems to be becoming increasingly common that after a film is made, well-known names with good connections suddenly appear and get credited as producers.”
Nanda continued: “What’s really happening is that these people are acting as curators and taking a share of the film’s profits. But technically, they aren’t the producers. They shouldn’t be going up on stage to collect awards. The people who do the marketing and take the finished film to festivals and lobby for awards are the ones who are getting credit for work they haven’t done. They should be making sure that the real producers get the recognition they deserve.”
No Blame on Priyanka Chopra Jonas or Monga
Nanda was keen to stress that she wasn’t personally criticising Priyanka Chopra Jonas or Guneet Monga. “I don’t mean any disrespect to them, because they’re both very talented people who have achieved a lot in their careers,” she said. “They’re simply part of a flawed system. Why should film festivals be reliant on their approval? Do they think the media won’t cover a film unless Priyanka Chopra Jonas is attached to it? I’m questioning this whole system in my post. What’s being lost in all of this is that the real writers, directors, and producers are not getting the recognition they deserve.”
Concerns About a Conflict of Interest
Nanda also raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest in the case of Anuja’s Oscar nomination and Guneet Monga’s involvement with the Academy. “The Oscars and Guneet have a symbiotic relationship,” she explained. “She’s done some excellent work and brought home Oscars in the past. Even with The Elephant Whisperers, she only came on board at the editing stage. She wasn’t involved in the production until the first cut was ready. But she was able to bridge the gap between the filmmaker and the Academy.”
Nanda believes that both the Oscars organisers and Guneet Monga need to take a long hard look at their roles in the system. She questioned the fairness of the current process, saying: “The Oscars organisers and Guneet need to ask themselves if this is really the best way to be doing things. What happens to films that don’t come to Guneet’s attention? An established producer who is already making their own films might not be the best person to decide which films get nominated for awards, because there could be unconscious bias. I’m sure neither Guneet nor Priyanka is intentionally biased, but it’s not the right approach. The most original and interesting films are often made by lesser-known names, because they’re the ones who are actually out there making movies.”
Pressure on Influential Figures
Finally, Nanda pointed out that the current system puts a lot of pressure on influential figures like Guneet Monga and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. “Awards festivals, and funders need to find new talent,” she said. “There must be dozens of other excellent films out there that they don’t even know about. They can’t just rely on Guneet to tell them which films are good. This is an unhealthy situation that is going to create a harmful ecosystem for creative filmmakers. The pressure on these people is already immense, and it’s only going to get worse.”
