Hurray for local cinema! Geo Films’ Laal Kabootar has been selected as Pakistan’s entry for the Oscars by the Pakistan Academy Selection Committee. With two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy at the helm, the committee has put forth Laal Kabootar for the ‘International Feature Film Award’ category at the 92nd Academy Awards.
This year, the committee also includes some other prominent figures, including Zeba Bakhtiar, Zarrar Khuhro, Zebunnisa Hamid, Sarmad Khoosat, Asim Abbasi, Rizwan Beyg, Jamil Baig, Sanam Saeed and Hamna Zubair.
The final list of nominees for all the categories will be chosen by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will be announced on 13 January 2020. The announcement of nominees will be followed by the final presentation show, to be held on 9 February 2020.
One of the film’s leads Mansha Pasha is beyond ecstatic over the selection, as apparent by her social media posts.
Our film @LaalKabootar has been selected as Pakistans submission to the #oscars !
Laal Kabootar is a gift that keeps on giving and truly one of its kind! To me, it stands as a landmark project within my 6 year career.
Thank u Allah and hugs to the team! ❤@kamaltkhan— manshapasha (@manshapasha) September 13, 2019
READ: Sadaf fires another jab at Mansha and the latter isn’t having it
A lot of celebrities and prominent figures came forward to congratulate the cast and crew of the film, which includes Ahmed Ali Akbar Rashid Farooqui, Saleem Meraj, Ali Kazmi, Shamim Hilali, Akbar Islam, Syed Arsalan, Saad Fareedi, Hammad Siddiq and Faiza Gillani to name a few, and Kamal Khan as the director.
Yasir Hussain brought up the recent row between Sadaf Kanwal and Pasha and congratulated the latter.
Celebrities like Mahira Khan and others didn’t shy away from appreciating the cast and crew.
Congratulations!! So proud ♥️@manshapasha https://t.co/jQLJzBFgvj
— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) September 13, 2019
Well deserved! https://t.co/pbuQMtagnz
— Hasan Zaidi (@hyzaidi) September 13, 2019
https://twitter.com/zainaconda/status/1172531107893534722?s=20
Its an amazing movie! The pace, the cinematography, story. Congratulations to you @manshapasha #kamalkhan @AhmedAliAkbar https://t.co/ydJo7bVUSc
— Frieha Altaf (@FriehaAltaf) September 13, 2019
https://twitter.com/RubyaChaudhry/status/1172505904299827201?s=20
Brilliant film good luck at the #oscars https://t.co/TIos2c8RDw
— Ayesha Tammy Haq (@tammyhaq) September 13, 2019
Here’s hoping the film makes the final cut of the nominees!