The Oscar 2025 race is officially underway. On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled a list of 324 films eligible for the Best Picture category, stirring excitement among film enthusiasts. Out of the 207 films competing for the esteemed Best Picture category, seven Indian films have made it to the list.

Among the contenders, "Putul" stands out as the only Bengali film from West Bengal to earn a place in the Oscars' Best Picture category race. This marks the first time a Bengali film has been selected among the 207 films competing globally for the prestigious award.

Directed by Indira Dhar, the film features Tanushree Shankar, Mumtaz Sorcar, and Koneenica Banerjee, and explores the lives of street children. It premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival's Marché du Film.[RR1] 

Apart from "Putul", other Indian films that have made it to the list are "Kanguva" (Tamil), "Aadujeevitham" (The Goat Life) (Hindi), "Santosh" (Hindi), "Swatantrya Veer Savarkar" (Hindi), "All We Imagine as Light" (Malayalam-Hindi), "Girls Will Be Girls" (Hindi-English)

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The voting period for the official nominations of the 97th Academy Awards will open on January 8 and conclude on January 12. The nominees will be revealed on January 17, with final voting for the winners scheduled between February 11 and 18. The Oscars ceremony is set for March 2 at the renowned Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.