The Oscar race is getting interesting for Indian cinema. NDTV has exclusively learnt that the makers of Ramayana have submitted the film for consideration at the 99th Academy Awards. The development comes even as Marathi film Gondhal has been selected as India’s official entry in the International Feature Film category.

However, India’s official entry does not mean that other Indian films cannot independently apply for consideration at the Academy Awards. Any film that fulfils the Academy’s eligibility criteria can submit itself for consideration, irrespective of whether it has been selected as its country’s official entry.

An independent feature film can qualify for the Oscars by meeting the Academy’s standard theatrical release requirements. It must complete a theatrical run of at least seven consecutive days in a qualifying US metropolitan area, with the prescribed daily screenings. These include Los Angeles County, New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta. Following the qualifying run, the filmmaker or distributor can submit the Oscars General Entry Form online, along with the required theatre credentials and film credits.

The International Feature Film category, however, has traditionally followed a different process. Under the ‘one country, one film’ rule, films had to be officially selected and submitted by a committee recognised by their respective countries. India, therefore, can nominate only one official film in this category.