Ashoke Pandit On Oscars Selection Process FFI Role And Why Producers Must Handle Film Publicity

The Film Federation of India is at the centre of attention as the process to select India's official entry for the upcoming Academy Awards gets underway. At an official press conference held at The Club in Mumbai at 2:30 PM, FFI representatives and members of the selection process discussed the framework through which India's Oscar contender will be chosen. The event brought together FFI President Firdausul Hasan, IMPPA President and FFI National Vice President Abhay Sinha, filmmaker and FFI committee member Ashoke Pandit, veteran distributor Dharmendra Mehra, Hirachand Dand and producer Sangram Shirke, among others. The FFI is responsible for selecting India's official submission for the Best International Feature Film category, making the process one of the most closely watched decisions in the Indian film industry.

One of the key questions raised during the interaction was whether the federation would continue helping a producer with publicity, marketing and the Oscar campaign after a film has been selected as India's official entry. Ashoke Pandit made the FFI's position clear, explaining that the federation's responsibility is limited to the selection and submission stage. “It is quite simple: handling a film's publicity or marketing is not the FFI's job. We have a very limited role. Our task is to establish a proper jury and system, select the film, and submit it. Our involvement ends at the entry stage,” Pandit said.

He further explained that the federation is not structured as a financially driven organisation and therefore cannot take responsibility for the promotional campaign once the entry has been submitted. According to Pandit, the producer takes over at that point and becomes responsible for the film's publicity, marketing and further Oscar campaign. However, he clarified that experienced members of the federation can still offer guidance on practical matters. “Regarding personal contacts or paperwork, the experienced members of the federation can offer suggestions or guidance. But once the film has been submitted, our role concludes; we cannot take the process any further,” he added.

Pandit's comments also shed light on a recurring debate surrounding India's Oscar selection every year. Once the official entry is announced, questions often emerge about why one film was chosen over another. Addressing the criticism, Pandit compared the selection to a deeply personal creative decision where different people are naturally bound to have different opinions. “It’s a bit like when a child is born; people might wonder why it’s a boy instead of a girl. Differences of opinion are inevitable—and indeed, they should exist,” he said.

According to Pandit, the final choice is not made by one individual or a single authority. Instead, a large group of jury members brings together different perspectives, creative instincts and knowledge before arriving at a collective decision. “Ultimately, you have over 25 or 30 minds coming together, pooling their best intellect and creative insights. They make the decision, and the best choice—the one that deserves it most—wins out,” he explained. The emphasis, therefore, remains on the collective nature of the process rather than attributing the decision to any one person within the federation.

Pandit also acknowledged the pressure faced by jury members once the selection is announced. He pointed out that members can face intense criticism and even personal abuse from sections of the industry and audience who disagree with the chosen film. “Jury members often hesitate to take on the role these days because they face so much abuse—people asking, ‘How could you send this film?’ or ‘Why did you choose that one?’” he said. Despite the criticism, Pandit maintained that disagreement is an unavoidable part of any creative selection process because filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences can have completely different views about which film deserves international representation.

He stressed that the final decision is ultimately a shared responsibility. “Ultimately, the decision is made collectively by all the jury members; they sign the document and approve the film together,” Pandit said. His explanation highlights the importance of distinguishing between individual opinions and the official decision reached by the entire jury. While debates around India's Oscar entry are unlikely to disappear, the FFI's position is that the selection is ultimately the result of a collective assessment rather than the choice of a single individual.

The distinction between selection and promotion is also important because being chosen as India's official entry is only the beginning of the Oscar journey. Once the FFI submits the film, the producer and the film's team have to take forward the promotional and campaign responsibilities. The federation can provide guidance based on the experience and contacts of its senior members, but, as Pandit made clear, it does not assume financial or marketing responsibility for the campaign.

The Mumbai press conference therefore offered a closer look at what happens behind India's Oscar selection process, while also addressing one of the industry's biggest recurring questions: who is responsible once the chosen film begins its international campaign? For Ashoke Pandit and the FFI, the answer is straightforward. The federation's job is to create the system, appoint the jury, select India's representative and submit the entry. After that, the responsibility shifts to the producer and the film team, while the debate over whether the right film has been chosen inevitably continues.

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