The much-anticipated Oscars are just around the corner, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has picked the talented writer-comedians Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang to announce the nominees for the 96th Academy Awards. The big event will happen live at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills on Thursday, January 23, and that’s when all the nominations will be revealed.

About Oscar Nominations

The live nominations ceremony, which was supposed to happen on January 17, has been postponed several times because of the severe wildfires in Los Angeles. As the situation in the city remained critical, the Academy moved the event first to January 19 and then to January 23. Due to these delays, they also pushed back the deadline for voting on the nominations to January 17.

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Popular comedians Sennott and Yang will announce the nominees for the 24 categories at the Academy Awards. You can watch the live ceremony on Oscar.com and Oscars.org, as well as on the Academy’s social media channels like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. It will also be featured on ABC’s Good Morning America and can be streamed on platforms like ABC News Live, Disney+, and Hulu.

Indian Films Nominated

1. Kanguva (Tamil)

Kanguva is a Tamil film starring Suriya, marking the Tamil debut of Bollywood actors Bobby Deol and Disha Patani. Directed by Siva, the movie had a strong opening but received criticism for its loud sound, leading to a re-edited version being released. The story follows a tribal warrior fighting to protect his people and features performances by KS Ravikumar, Yogi Babu, and Redin Kingsley.

2. Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) (Malayalam)

Blessy has written, directed, and produced the film ‘Aadujeevitham,’ based on a 2008 Malayalam novel by Benyamin. The movie tells the true story of a Malayali worker in the Gulf and has won awards at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards and the Kerala State Film Awards. However, the film and the book have faced bans in some Gulf countries.

3. Santosh (Hindi)

Sandhya Suri’s Hindi film ‘Santosh’ has been shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film at the Oscars 2025. Set in Uttar Pradesh, it tells the story of a widow who is a police officer, played by Shahana Goswami. The film has won several awards, including recognition from the National Board of Review and the Tokyo FILMeX, and it was also nominated at the Cannes International Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival.

4. Swatantrya Veer Savarkar (Hindi)

Randeep Hooda, known for Kick and Rang Rasiya, has directed a new film called Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. This period drama focuses on Savarkar’s role in India’s fight for independence from British rule. While the story has potential, it often feels disjointed and more like a series of news clips. The talented cast, including Amit Sial and Ankita Lokhande, adds value, but the film can occasionally feel overly dramatic.

5. All We Imagine as Light (Malayalam-Hindi)

‘All We Imagine As Light’ is an Indo-French film by Payal Kapadia, starring Kani Kusruti, Chhaya Kadam, and Divya Prabha. It became a critical favourite after winning the Grand Prix at Cannes, though it was not selected as India’s Oscar entry. The film has won multiple awards from the New York Film Critics Circle and received two Golden Globe nominations. It is considered a strong contender for Best Picture at the 2025 Academy Awards.

6. Girls Will Be Girls (Hindi-English)

Shuchi Talati’s film ‘Girls Will Be Girls’, produced by Bollywood couple Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, explores the journey of young girls discovering their sexuality and growing up. It focuses on the perspectives and desires of girls and women rather than societal expectations.  The story features a mother-daughter duo played by Kani Kusruti and Preeti Panigrahi, who convey deep emotions throughout the film.

7. Putul (Bengali)

‘Putul’ is a film by Indira Dhar, who wrote, directed, and produced it. It was featured at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024. The cast includes Sujan Mukherjee, Tanusree Shankar, Indroneel Mukherjee, and Mumtaz Sorcar. This is Dhar’s first project as a director and producer, and the music was composed by Arghyakamal Mitra and Sayan Ganguly.

8. Band of Maharajas (Hindi)

Girish Malik, known for his work on the films ‘Jal’ and ‘Torbaaz,’ has directed a new Indian movie called “Band of Maharajas.” The film stars Shraddha Pandey, Arun Bajwa, and Kuwarjeet Chopraa.

9. The Zebras: Dark Start (English)

The Zebras, directed by Aneek Chaudhuri and featuring Sharib Hashmi and Priyanka Sarkar, is competing for Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Screenplay awards.

10. Anuja (Hindi)

Anuja is supported by prominent Indian producers Guneet Monga and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The short film, set in Delhi, is directed by Adam J Graves and Suchitra Mattai, who also produced it. It has been shortlisted for an award in the Live Action Short Film category. in the category of Live Action Short Film.
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