Rajkummar Rao's Newton is India's Best Foreign Language Film entry for Oscars

Isaac Newton (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Amit Masurkar’s acclaimed political satire Newton has been selected as India’s official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars.

Rajkummar Rao plays Newton Kumar, a presiding officer who is determined to hold a free and fair election in a Chhattisgarh village despite the threat of Naxalite violence and all-round cynicism.

The movie, produced by Drishyam Films and distributed by Eros Entertainment, also stars Pankaj Tripathi, Anjali Patil and Raghubir Yadav, and was released on September 22.

Reacting to the news actor Rajkumar Rao tweeted, “Very happy to share this news that #NEWTON is India's official entry to the #OSCARS this year. Congratulations team.”

Very happy to share this news that #NEWTON is India's official entry to the #OSCARS this year. Congratulations team.

— Rajkummar Rao (@RajkummarRao) September 22, 2017

In the past, Indian films like Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan were nominated for Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards.

This year, Newton will compete with Ruben Ostlund’s The Square from Sweden, Fatih Akin’s In the Fade from Germany, Angelina Jolie’s First They Killed My Father from Cambodia, Sebastian Lelio’s A Fantastic Woman from Chile, Farhan Alam’s Sawan from Pakistan and Robin Campillo’s BPM: Beats Per Minute from France, among others.

According to a letter tweeted by the Film Federation of India, Newton was chosen as India's official entry amid competition from 26 other films.