The Film Federation of India has selected Payal Kapadia's second feature for India's official entry in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards — a decision that reflects both the international prestige of Kapadia's work and India's evolving approach to Oscar nominations.

The selection follows Kapadia's historic Palme d'Or win at Cannes 2024 with "All We Imagine As Light," which later earned a Golden Globe nomination and became the most internationally screened Indian film of that calendar year. The new film, shot across Mumbai, Kochi, and Goa, continues her exploration of working-class women's inner lives with the same contemplative visual language.

"India has often selected its most commercially successful films for Oscar consideration," said a Film Federation selection committee member. "This time we are selecting the film most likely to resonate with international academy voters — a distinction that matters."

The decision has generated mixed reactions: enthusiastic support from the art cinema community and critical press, and some disappointment from large-budget Hindi film producers who had lobbied for their projects.