Mumbai, Sep 23 (IANS): Actress Pratibha Ranta, who essayed the role of Jaya Tripathi Singh or Pushpa Rani in ‘Laapataa Ladies’, is chuffed with the film being submitted as India’s official entry to the 97th Academy Award by the Film Federation of India.

The actress is hopeful that the film will be able to secure a seat in the final nominations owing to the film’s weaving of humour and heart into a story that resonates globally.

Talking about the same, the actress told IANS, “I’m so excited about the chance for ‘Laapataa Ladies’ to be in the running for the Oscars. It would mean everything to me. Working on this film has been an incredible experience, and I’m thrilled it might get recognized at such a high level. Playing Jaya has been a dream, especially since this is my first movie. The idea of an Oscar nomination is amazing”.

She further mentioned, “I trust that the selection will showcase the best films, and I’m really thankful for this opportunity. I can’t wait to see what comes next. As Indian films gain international acclaim, Lapaataa Ladies stands out, weaving humour and heart into a story that resonates globally. Owing to this, there are strong chances of it making it to the final nominations, proving that our narratives can connect cultures beyond borders”.

‘Laapataa Ladies’ also stars Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan. It tells the story of two young newly-wed brides who get exchanged during a train ride to their husband's homes. The film was screened at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on 8 September 2023, and was theatrically released on 1 March 2024.

The film is directed by Kiran Rao, and produced by Rao, Aamir Khan, and Jyoti Deshpande.