Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Film Federation of India has selected Laapataa Ladies as India's official entry for the Oscars 2025 in the Foreign Film Category at the 97th Academy Awards.
Netizens' excitement knew no bounds!
Director Kiran Rao picked a reel-life canvas 'Nirmal Pradesh' to reflect the real-life plight and struggles of the rural women in India, added colours of comedy and satire, which were further enhanced by the brilliant acting, and painted a perfect big screen delight.
The movie revolves around the lives of young rural women. It shows the drastic contrast in the mindset of the two protagonists—where one wouldn't even call her husband by name out of love and respect, while the other fought for her dreams. The movie encouraged the women to embrace the idea of becoming financially self-sufficient!
The reality of 'Nirmal Pradesh'
To convince the audience of the rural backdrop, the movie was shot in the Bamuliya and Dhamankheda villages of Sehore, some 40 km away from Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal. The shooting lasted for around 40 days.
Director Rao, actors Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chaya Kadam, and Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kishan, along with the entire unit, stayed at a resort in Bhopal. They would travel every day to Sehore for the shoot.
The movie even had several locals as junior artists. Laapataa Ladies was earlier named as Two Brides, and it was after the final editing that the name was changed.
Sehore: A fav spot for movies, web shows
Sehore has emerged as the favourite location for movies and web series, given its simple, realistic ambience and easy connectivity.
Currently, shooting for Dharma Productions' Homebound is ongoing in Sehore. Ishaan Khattar & Jahanvi Kapoor will be seen opposite each other in the film.
Much-loved web show Panchayat (all 3 seasons) were also shot here.