Shoojit Sircar's recently released Vicky Kaushal starrer film 'Sardar Udham' was appreciated by critics and fans alike. The way Sircar painted a horrifying picture of British rule in India and the way Kaushal portrayed Udham Singh, a man driven with a purpose, made the film an incredible watch. All that and beautiful cinematography made 'Sardar Udham' a contender for India's entry for The Academy Awards.

It was among the 14 shortlisted films out of which one was to be sent to The Academy. Unfortunately, 'Sardar Udham' didn't make the cut because apparently it shows our hatered towards the British. A member of the jury, Indraadip Dasgupta said, "Sardar Udham is a little lengthy and harps on the Jallianwala Bagh incident. It is an honest effort to make a lavish film on an unsung hero of the Indian freedom struggle. But in the process, it again projects our hatred towards the British. In this era of globalization, it is not fair to hold on to this hatred.”

Sumit Basu, another member of the jury said, "Many have loved Sardar Udham for its cinematic quality including camerawork, editing, sound design and depiction of the period. I thought the length of the film was an issue. It has a delayed climax. It takes a lot of time for a viewer to feel the real pain for the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.”

Tamil film 'Koozhangal' was ultimately choosen as India's official entry for The Academy Awards.