Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has voiced her disappointment over what she sees as the repeated snubbing of Indian films and talent at the Academy Awards.
In a video shared on Instagram while preparing for the Louis Vuitton fashion show in Paris, Padukone reflected on India’s cinematic journey at the Oscars and expressed dismay over the lack of recognition for the country's film industry.
“India has been robbed of the Oscars many times. Many, many deserving movies and talents have been snubbed,” the actor said. She recalled attending the 2023 Academy Awards when RRR won Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu, calling it an emotional moment.
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“Outside of being an Indian, I really had nothing to do with that movie, but that was a huge, huge moment. That felt very, very personal,” she added.
The video featured clips from critically acclaimed Indian films, including Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, Rahi Anil Barve’s Tumbbad, and Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox—all of which received international recognition but failed to secure Oscar nominations.
Padukone, who presented an award at the 2023 Oscars, also acknowledged actor Adrien Brody’s win for The Brutalist in the Best Actor category at this year’s ceremony.
The 97th Academy Awards saw Anora emerge as the biggest winner, bagging five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Mikey Madison, and Best Director for Sean Baker.
