Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's "Rang De Basanti" is the official entry to the Oscars and Atul Kulkarni, who plays one of the protagonists in the film, is on a high.

"I am happy. I have a feeling that more and more people abroad would see it with the kind of news and publicity happening," says Atul.

He has ample reasons to rejoice. His Marathi film "Maati Maay" was screened at the Toronto Film Festival.

"Maati Maay" is a screen adaptation of Mahasweta Devi's "Bayen" and revolves around a woman who works as a keeper of a children's graveyard, played by Nandita Das.

"I play Nasru, a government servant who works in a morgue. He loves his wife but is under societal pressures at the same time," explains Atul.

The actor will also be felicitated with an award in the field of arts by Maitreya Foundation.