While film industry members continue to voice reservations about the selection of "Paheli" as the official Indian entry for the Oscars, producer Pravesh Sippy says it only requires a big name to make a film a winner.

"I am surprised like most other people at the choice of 'Paheli', but more than being surprised I am convinced that it takes only a big name to carry your film to where 'Paheli' stands today, said Sippy, who produced the critically acclaimed "Daayra" with Amol Palekar, who has directed both the films.

"Honestly speaking, 'Paheli' is not a patch on Amol Palekar's 'Daayra'... it even featured among the world's 10 best-made feature films in Time magazine, besides being acclaimed at all film festivals... but it died an inconsequential death in India. Probably it would have had a better chance if it was produced by a reckoned name like Shah Rukh (Khan)," said Sippy.

Sippy is back to producing films again in collaboration with an American company, WSG Pictures. He is working on two projects for the banner - the Urmila starrer "Chamki", directed by Shyam Benegal, and the Pankaj Kapur starrer "Dharam", directed by Bhavana Talwar.