'' LAAPATAA LADIES '' & '' ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT '' : FILM HONOURS

A shot at Oscar glory for Indian cinema. TWO female-directed films are generating buzz and could achieve top honours.

Both films might have a shot at winning Academy Awards - a rare prospect for a country that produces more than 1,000 movies a year but has found the top most industry honours hard to come by.

With small budgets and unconventional plots, '' Laaptaa Ladies '' and '' All We Imagine as Light,'' have captivated audiences.

That both were directed by women and have  female-centric themes has become an additional point of pride in India, where the frothy romps of male-dominated Bollywood are a large part of the cinematic landscape.

Directed by Kiran Rao, '' Lapataa Ladies '' renamed '' Lost Ladies '' for its Oscar campaign has had a hugely successful run in the domestic market since its March release and is now streaming on Netflix.

'' All We Imagine as Light,'' directed by Payal Kapadia, won the Grand Prix at Cannes in May. It was released in Indian theaters this month, and opened on Nov 15 in New York and Los Angeles.

In a review of the movie for The New York Times, Manohla Dargis called it a '' quiet drama about fragility, beauty and kinship '' that is ''flat-out wonderful, one of the finest of the year.''

Ms. Kapadia's victory was the first big win for an Indian film in more than three decades at Cannes. '' Please don't wait 30 years to have another Indian film,'' Ms. Kapadia said while accepting the award. 

Her accomplishment even won praise from Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who posted on X :

'' This prestigious accolade not only honours her exceptional skill but also inspires a new generation of Indian filmmakers.''

The World Students Society thanks Anupreeta Das and Pragatti K.B.