Aamir Khan’s Peepli Live is India's Entry at the Oscars 2011

Aamir Khan’s latest production Peepli [Live] is India’s entry in the Best Foreign Film category at the 2011 Oscars.

Confirming the news on Friday evening, Supran Sen, secretary- general of the Film Federation of India (FFI), said: “ The FFI has selected Peepli [ Live] as India’s official entry for next year’s Oscars, out of 27 films.” For 45- year- old superstar- filmmaker Aamir, this will be his third bid at the Oscars after Lagaan in 2002 and Taare Zameen Par in 2008.

While Lagaan made it to the shortlist of the final five, Taare Zameen Par — which marked Aamir’s directorial debut — failed to make the cut.

The versatile Raghubir Yadav, one of the few familiar faces among the film’s largely unknown cast, is another person with a history of Oscar nominations. Yadav has seen three of his works going to the Oscars in the past — Salaam Bombay , Lagaan and Water . Asked for his reaction, Yadav seemed cautious. “ We have been officially selected to represent India at the Oscars and that is great news. But to win, the film has to first make it to the final five,” he said.

Directed by debutant Anusha Rizvi, Peepli [Live] is a biting satire on farmer suicides. It also lampoons opportunistic politicians and TRP- hungry news channels.

With a mostly unknown cast, Aamir’s ` 10- crore crossover production has already grossed more than ` 32 crore in the domestic market alone.

Reactions in the film industry have been mixed. Shekhar Kapur, who made the Elizabeth films, stands by Aamir’s film. “ It goes to the Oscars with some great reviews and impressive reactions. I am sure Aamir will put his best,” he said.

Rahul Dholakia of Parzania fame was less impressed. “ Peepli [ Live] failed to win at Sundance.

I am not sure if it can really compete at the Oscars. But at least they have chosen the right production house, considering Aamir has a lot of experience at the Oscars,” he said.

“ Only if it makes it to the top five will it make sense to talk about the film seriously.

However, this is the best film India could have sent to the Oscars this year,” filmmaker Shyam Benegal said.

Bollywood fans all over the world received the news with enthusiasm and joy. Within minutes of the announcement, Twitter was flooded with fan reactions.

“ Can Ace Khan do dis time (sic)?” wondered praveen185. “ Congratulations Aamir and team for their Oscar nominee ( Peepli Live )... Oscar is ours this time,” wrote pioneerhifi.

Others were more cautious. “ Peepli will not make ... it closely resembles Billy Wilder’s Ace In The Hole ,” tweeted kittigadu.

The more hardnosed buffs see the nomination as Hollywood’s celebration of poverty porn in India. “ Oscars dig poverty in India. Sad, but true,” tweeted nikhil_ arora.

Peepli [ Live] had a special screening at the Berlin International Film Festival as well as the Toronto International Film Festival. It was also the first Indian film to have competed at the Sundance Film Festival in the US and was declared the Best First Feature Film at the Durban International Film Festival.

But at the Oscars, will Aamir get lucky this time?