Aparna Sen on why ‘Gully Boy’ was chosen as India’s Oscar entry

Aparna Sen headed the committee which chose ‘Gully Boy’ as India’s entry in the foreign language Oscar Category. A lot has been spoken about ‘Gully Boy’s surprise entry. While many have appreciated the decision, some have also criticized it. However, Aparna Sen has a completely different take on the selection procedure.
So what about film that appealed to Aparna Sen, we asked the director and she promptly answers they were looking for excellent artistic merit.
“Our job was to find a film that was of excellent artistic merit and at the same time something that was a fit for the Academy. Gully Boy is an extremely well-made film in all departments. The photography was brilliant, the sound was excellent, the acting was marvellous, the production design was wonderful, the colour palette was very good, the music was excellent, the dialogue was extremely well-written. The women characters were very strong and impactful. So it was comparable to the best in terms of its technical quality. That is very, very important. Politically it was about the two Indias. I thought the haves and have-nots were contrasted poignantly without being sentimental. It sends out a very good political message,” explains Aparna Sen whose next directorial ‘Ghawre Bairey Aaj’ will release on November 15.