Actress Chaaya Kadam, who plays Manju Mai in Missing Ladies, is extremely happy with the film’s official entry to the Oscars 2025. She spoke exclusively to India Today Digital and expressed her happiness. The actress also revealed that she is currently in Paris for the premiere of her Grand Prix-winning film All We Imagine as Light. This film was also in the Oscar race but did not get an entry.

On India’s official entry for Oscars 2025

Shadow Step told Lapata Ladies’ Oscar entry. She said, “I am very happy and excited. What more can I say? It is a proud moment for me that our film, Missing Ladies, was selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars. On the other hand, my other film, All We Imagine as Light, was also shortlisted by France as a potential entry for the Oscars 2025. I have just come to Paris for the premiere.”

On the criticism that everything we imagine as light lost out in the Oscar race

Chhaya Kadam’s film All We Imagine as Light may have lost the Oscar race, but The film won the Grand Prix at Cannes 2024He addressed the criticisms about the film not being selected as an official entry for Oscars 2025. “I am happy for Missing Ladies but at the same time I feel a bit bad for Payal’s film. Now this decision has been taken by the giants of the film federation, so I have no say in it. I would have loved to see both the films in the Oscars”, he said.

Manju Maayi on her character

Kadam also spoke about the love that her character, Majnu Maayi, received in Missing Ladies. She said, “When I think of Manju Maayi (her character), the first thing that comes to my mind is how people came up to me and said how the character inspired and encouraged them. Even as Chaaya, the character taught me a lot during the shooting process. I was always very strong but I think I became even stronger after becoming Manju Maayi (laughs). Also, I must say that Manju Maayi was always a character that had less screen time but the audience made it big. That is a huge thing for me. I am very grateful and happy to be in the position that I am in right now.”

In conversation with Kiran Rao

Did you know that Chaaya Kadam congratulated Kiran Rao (Director of Missing Ladies) yesterday that her film has made it to the Oscars? She said, “I called Kiran yesterday to congratulate her because someone told me yesterday that ‘Missing Ladies’ has been selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars.”

Kadam further said, “But he told me that it hasn’t been decided yet. So I thought okay. The call got disconnected so he messaged me that Chaaya nothing has been decided yet but you enjoy the premiere. I told him in Marathi that we will go to the Oscars this time. And when I heard this news, I was the happiest.”

Lapata Ladies wins title bout Like Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal, Kartik Aaryan’s Chandu Champion, Prabhas’ Kalki 2898 AD, National Award-winning Malayalam film Aattam, Rajkummar Rao’s Srikanth, Vicky Kaushal’s Sam Bahadur, and others.