With 'Newton' being unanimously chosen as India's official entry to the Academy Awards next year, actor Rajkummar Rao hopes that his dark comedy on Indian democracy manages to win the golden statuette.
Directed by Amit Masurkar, the movie featuring Rajkummar in the title role, has been chosen to represent the country in the Best Foreign Language category at the awards. As it is barely months to the ceremony, the actor says the team is working round-the-clock, which includes showing the film around and acquiring the services of a publicist.
"The campaign is on. We are trying our level best and hoping for the best. The team is already there. A lot of screenings are going on in Los Angeles as we speak. There are a huge number of films that are in the running for the Oscars. I really want 'Newton' to break India's dry spell at the Oscars. I can't say, obviously, if it will happen or not. But I wish it does," Rajkummar said in a recent interview.
There were reports that suggested 'Newton' was a rip-off of the 2001 Iranian film 'Secret Ballot'. But the reports were quashed with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's timely intervention. He reached out to the director and the producer of the Iranian film to clarify that 'Newton' bore no similarity with their project.
Rajkummar quipped, "(He) butchered those people who were saying 'it's a copy, it's a copy'. I don't understand people have so much time in this world. I don't know why they don't focus on making their life better."
Rajkummar was in the capital to promote his upcoming web-series, 'Bose:Dead/Alive', in which he features in the title role of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. It premiers on AltBalaji app from November 20.