In the end, Eklavya stays

MUMBAI: Eklavya, it will be, to the Oscars. The Film Federation of India has decided to stick with its original choice as India’s official entry to the Academy of Motion Pictures, which organises the Oscars. The decision will be conveyed to the Bombay HC on Wednesday, federation sources said.

Bhavna Talwar, director of Dharm, had filed a petition in the court challenging the “biased” selection of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya for the Oscars. The Academy, in a letter to the federation, asked that a final decision be taken by October 17. The HC had also asked FFI to revisit its decision in the light of the allegations made and to inform the court on October 17.

Federation jury chairman Vinod Pande said he wanted to “try at every level” so that India could send an entry to the Oscars and “ride the boat”, but refused to comment on whether a decision on Eklavya had been taken. “The decision had been taken democratically. Withdrawing Eklavya would be admitting that we are wrong,” a source said.