Vinod Kapri submits Pyre independently for 99th Oscars, says film deserves to compete on its own merit
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri has submitted his independent movie Pyre for consideration in the General Entry categories of the 99th Academy Awards through the independent route. In a recent interaction, the director verified the development and also revealed why he decided to submit his movie independently.
Adding to this, Vinod Kapri's Pyre aims for an Oscar. 'Never imagined the movie would touch so many hearts' In conversation with India Today, Vinod admitted that he had never expected the movie to touch so many hearts around the world. He shared, "We made Pyre independently, with complete faith in the story and the people who brought it to life. We never imagined that two ordinary people from a small Himalayan village would touch so many hearts across the world. The movie has travelled to international festivals, won awards and, most importantly, found its audience."
Meanwhile, Sharing the reason behind submitting his movie through the independent route, he shared, "We believe independent cinema deserves the opportunity to compete on its own merits. Our decision to pursue the Academy Awards through the applicable independent submission route is an extension of that belief. This is not just a journey for our movie; it is also a journey for the many independent filmmakers who continue to tell stories against all odds."
Notably, Filmmaker Santosh Davakhar's Marathi thriller Gondhal has been selected as India's official entry in the Best International Feature Movie category for the 99th Academy Awards. Meanwhile, the Nagaland movie Angh, which won the coveted Platform Prize at the 2026 Toronto International Movie Festival, also qualified for the Best International Feature Movie category at the Academy Awards. This was made possible by a new Academy rule that gives certain top honours at international movie festivals a direct pathway to Oscar qualification.
As per the latest buzz, Pyre stars 80-year-old Padam Singh Kapri, a retired Indian Army serviceman, and 70-year-old Heera Devi, both of whom are making their acting debuts. Padam plays a character named after himself, while Heera portrays Tulsi. The movie revolves around an elderly couple living in the hills who wait for their children to return after they leave the village in search of better opportunities.
In further updates, In an interview with Hindustan Times, Vinod spoke about the challenges of bringing his movie to theatres. He also recalled announcing his retirement after receiving an award at the Toronto International Movie Festival. However, he admitted that the positive response from audiences restored his faith in filmmaking.
On top of that, He shared, “I was so so depressed and so mentally, physically, financially exhausted that I revealed my retirement from that stage after receiving the award from Deepa Meta. I shared I'm done with filmmaking. I'm not going to make any movie after this because I'm completely drained out after making this movie.”
Vibha Maru is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Entertainment, based in Delhi. With a decade of experience across digital and print media, she covers Bollywood, Hollywood and web shows. A self-confessed cinephile who breathes Hindi cinema, Vibha can often be found sacrificing sleep after binge-watching films and web series. Though she holds a Commerce degree, she discovered her true calling in journalism after enrolling at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). She began her career covering Delhi's cultural scene, food, nightlife, concerts, and city life at The Times of India, before moving into full-time entertainment journalism with India Today. At India Today, Vibha interviewed some of the biggest names in Bollywood and television while carving a niche for herself through movie reviews, opinion pieces, nostalgic features, star interviews, and trend-driven stories. She later brought her storytelling and editorial expertise to The Indian Express, where she continued to deepen her understanding of cinema through long-form entertainment explainers, retrospectives and feature writing. Now, as Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times Entertainment, Vibha continues to chronicle the world of movies and pop culture. Her work spans breaking entertainment news, exclusive interviews, star features, and stories that capture the conversations shaping Indian cinema. Read More
Source: Hindustan Times