CHENNAI: The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards are finally here. With Oppenheimer leading the pack with 13 nominations, Poor Things, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Barbie are close on its heels with 11, 10, and 8 nominations, respectively. While India’s official entry to the Oscars, 2018: Everyone is a hero, and the independent submission, 12th Fail, failed to make the cut, a documentary set in India did manag to get a nomination this year. To Kill a Tiger, directed by Indian-origin Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja, is nominated under the Best Documentary Feature Film category.
Set in Jharkhand, To Kill a Tiger revolves around a father named Ranjit and his unrelenting fight to find justice for his 13-year old daughter, who was abducted and sexually assaulted by three men. Nisha Pahuja has produced the film along with David Oppenheim, Cornelia Principe, and Andy Cohen. Indian-origin Hollywood actors Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling are also credited as executive producers for the film. Delhi-born filmmaker, Nisha is also known for her works like the Emmy nominated documentary, The World Before Her, a three-part series titled Diamond Road, and the feature length documentary, Bollywood Bound.
To Kill a Tiger premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10 last year, where it won the Best Canadian Film award. Including the aforementioned award, the film won a total of 15 awards under different categories like, Best Documentary, Best Editing, and Best Soundtrack, in several film festivals.
To Kill a Tiger is competing against other documentaries like The Eternal Memory, Four Daughters, Bobi Wine: The People’s President, and 20 Days in Mariupol. It is worth noting that The Elephant Whisperers, which revolves around two Indian mahouts and their elephants, won the Academy Awards for Best Documentary Short Film last year. The 96th Academy Awards will be announced on March 10.
Struggle for justice of 13-year-old daughter
Set in Jharkhand, To Kill a Tiger, directed by Indian-origin Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja, revolves around a father and his unrelenting fight to find justice for his 13-year old daughter, who was abducted and sexually assaulted by three men.