Jallikattu has been zeroed in as India's official entry in the Best International Feature Film category of the 93rd Academy Awards.
The Lijo Jose directed movie was a contender among a list of 27 films for the 2021 Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars. Other films deliberated upon were The Disciple, Shakuntala Devi, Shikara, Gunjan Saxena, Chhapaak, AK vs AK, Gulabo Sitabo, Bhonsle, Chhalaang, Eeb Allay Ooo!, Check Post, Atkan Chatkan, Serious Men, Bulbbul, Kaamyaab, The Sky is Pink, Chintu ka Birthday, and Bittersweet.
Jallikattu is a Malayalam movie, starring Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad and Santhy Balachandran. The film is about a group of men trying to stop a bull that is running wild in their village; attributing the bull-taming event held in the southern states of India. Although the practise of Jallikattu has been controversial, the movie was met with critical acclaim upon its release.
This also marks the second year of the award being given under the name of 'Best International Feature Film,' introduced in April 2019, being changed from 'Best Foreign-Language Film.'
For the 92nd Academy Awards, Gully Boy directed by Zoya Akhtar was selected as India's official entry, but the film could not make it to the nominations.
No Indian film has been nominated in this category since 2002; Lagaan had been the last one to have achieved so.
The 2021 Academy Awards will be held on April 25 instead of the initially planned date of February 28.