Chhello Show release date: When and where to watch India's official entry to the Oscars

The Gujarati drama Chhello Show (Last Film Show), directed by Pan Nalin, was chosen by the Film Federation of India, as India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category of the 95th Academy Awards. After the panel, which was presided over by seasoned Kannada filmmaker TS Nagabharana, decided on Tuesday, FFI Secretary General Suparn Sen made the announcement.

Chhello Show will debut in India on October 14. The film was initially available on MUBI, but now, it has been taken down. There is no information available about whether it will stream on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video.

The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and won multiple awards across various international film festivals, including the Golden Spike at the 66th Valladolid Film Festival in Spain.

The story of Chhello Show is set against the backdrop of India's cinemas experiencing a massive transition from celluloid to digital, where hundreds of single-screen cinemas stand dilapidated or have completely vanished. The film stars Bhavin Rabari, Vikas Bata, Richa Meena, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval, and Rahul Koli.

Chhello Show had stiff competition from RRR, The Kashmir Files, Malayankunju, and Shyam Singha Roy. Nalin, thanking the FFI and the jury, stated he could have never imagined such a day would come and bring light and celebration of light.

“My film has been receiving love from around the world but there was an ache in my heart. How do I make India discover it? I can breathe again and believe in cinema that entertains, inspires, and enlightens!”

Producer Siddharth Roy Kapur said, “When cinema-going around the world has been disrupted by a pandemic, it reminds audiences anew of the first time they fell in love with the experience of watching a movie in a darkened cinema hall.”

Chhello Show is the second Gujarati film to be selected for the prestigious honour, the first being The Good Road in 2013.

Ashutosh Gowariker's Lagaan from 2001 was the last Indian movie to be nominated for the International Feature category's final selection list.