Saare zameen par!: Aamir Khan's directorial debut film Taare Zameen Par has been rejected at the initial round of screening of nominees for the Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category for year 2009. Here's a low down on how other Indian films have faired at the Oscars.
Biggest dud: Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Eklavya: The Royal Guard was chosen, after a huge controversy, as India's official entry to the Oscars for the year 2007. But unfortunately (though not surprisingly!), the film failed to impress the judges and couldn't make it to the next round.
Tough luck Aamir: It seems Aamir Khan has a history of bad luck with the Oscars. Despite being a brilliant film and it's tremendous success in India, actor's Rang De Basanti was eliminated out of the Oscar race at the 79th Annual Academy Awards.
No more a mystery: Though Amol Palekar's Paheli couldn't set the box office on fire in India, it did get shortlisted for the Oscars. But sadly, it couldn't win an award.
Not bad..: Sandeep Sawant's Marathi film Shwaas was ranked 6th in the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2004 Oscars.
Doomed: Despite its success back home, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's mega blockbuster Devdas failed to impress the Oscar judges, once again resulting in an Oscar failure.
Successfully nominated: Ashutosh Gowarikar's Lagaan became the third Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film after Mother India in 1957 and Salaam Bombay! in 1989.
Hai Ram!: Kamal Haasan's magnum opus Hey Ram proved a big dud at the Oscars, once again proving the failed attempts of Indian films at the Academy Awards.
Heart broken: The New York Times described 1947: Earth as - a powerful and disturbing reminder of how a civilization could suddenly crack under certain pressures. But despite all such rave reviews, the film couldn't crack the Oscars.
Blunder: With 240 prints, the Aishwarya Rai starrer Jeans holds the 1998 record for a Tamil film with the maximum number of prints. And also a record for not making at the Oscars. It remains a mystery to many how such a film got selected to represent Indian cinema at an international forum.
Doomed: Despite of winning 3 National awards, Kamal Hassan starrer Hindustani couldn't beat it's international counterparts at the 1996 Oscars.
Controversial: Shekhar Kapoor's Bandit Queen might have created a rage with controversies back home, but once again it failed to cast an impression on the Oscar jury.
Acclaimed: Dimple Kapadia won a National Film Award for her role of Shanichari in Kalpana Lazmi's Rudaali. Following its national success, the film was sent to the Oscars as well.
High hopes: Not many people know that Henna was also sent to the Oscars.
Unlucky: Mani Ratnam's Anjali based on a dying autistic child won huge acclaim in India winning three National awards.
A cencelled flight: It seems Vidhu Vinod Chopra's brush with the Oscars is really old and strong. Besides, Eklavya, his award winning film Parinda was also disqualified at the 1990 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.
Path breaking: After Mother India, the second Indian film ever winning a nomination at the Oscars was Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay. The film chronicled the day-to-day life of children living on the streets of Mumbai.
Ambitious: Many people would be surprised to know that Ramesh Sippy's Saagar was also sent for the Oscars.
Unfortunate: Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi might have won him the Filmfare award for the best director but unfortunately it lagged behind in the Oscars race.
In for Oscars: Shyam Benegal's Manthan went on to win, the 1977 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Vijay Tendulkar, and was also Indian submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for 1976.
Post partition drama: M S Sathyu's Garam Hawa has often been credited with pioneering a new wave of art cinema movement in India. Prior to its release, the film was held by CBI, for eight months, fearing communal unrest.
Historical: Sudhendu Roy's Saudagar starromg Amitabh Bachchan couldn't do much for India's pride at the Academy.
Close call: Though Reshma Aur Shera was well received by the critics internationally and got nominated for Golden Bear at Berlin International Film Festival, it failed to break the Oscar barrier.
Legendary: Guru Dutt's Sahib Biwi Aur ghulam was India's official entry for the Oscars in year 1963, becoming the second film ever sent for the Academy Award nominations.
First ever: Mehboob Khan's Mother India was the first Indian film to win a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 1958. But unfortunately, even after 50 years there hasn't been an Indian film that has won an Oscar.
