'Taare Zameen Par' is special film to all Indians: Aamir

Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan said Taare Zameen Par, which crashed out of the Oscar race on Wednesday, is a film which is very special to him and all the audiences of Indian cinema.

"Well, I suppose the Academy jury liked nine other films more. I am just happy that it is a film which is very special to me and to all audiences of Indian cinema. I would like to thank everyone for their unwavering support to the film," Aamir, who is in Bangalore shooting for 3 Idiots, said in a statement issued in Mumbai.

India's Oscar dreams ended with Taare Zameen Par losing out to nine films that have advanced to the next round of voting in the foreign language film category.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the list of nine films which include acclaimed Israeli animated film Waltz with Bashir, Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany), Revanche (Austria), The Necessities of Life (Canada),  The Class (France), Departures (Japan), Tear This Heart Out (Mexico), Everlasting Moments (Sweden) and 3 Monkeys (Turkey).

The final five nominations will be announced on January 22 and the Academy awards for 2008 will be presented on February 22.

Aamir's first home production Lagaan created history when it made to the final list of five nominations in 2001.