The circus this year for the film to be finally sent to the Oscars from India as the official entry has hotted up. As everyone knows, the Academy Awards committee, invites Foreign Films for an Award in the prestigious Best Foreign Film category. The procedure for selection is quite interesting. Each country is asked to select a film from the one`s released in the preceding year, and send it to the Oscars. Now, that is where a lot of politicking allegedly happens.

Can someone explain how an atrocious film like Hey Ram, a sham of a film by megalomaniac and self-obsessed actor Kamal Haasan went to the Oscars in the year of the release? Many allege its his brother`s political clout in New Delhi.

Well, cut to this year, the competition, or should we say, the politicking is going to be heavy. Santosh Sivan directed, Asoka, starring Kareena and Shah Rukh, is being pumped up to be an entry. Showing the film in the festival circuit is a big way of boosting a film`s prospects at the Academy Awards. Shah Rukh, the producer-actor of the film, is leaving no stone unturned. Santosh Sivan is already known in the international circuit for his film, The Terrorist.

On the other hand, play it by the book, Aamir Khan, is riding solely on the strength of his beautiful and passionate film, Lagaan. The film is a real superb effort and a unique film, and if the politicians and the powers-that-be have any sense, they will promote Lagaan for the Academy Awards as the Official Indian entry.

Let`s see who wins the race, or rather, who has more political clout in New Delhi as well as the Academy Awards.