Malayalam film 2018- Everyone is a Hero is India's entry to Oscars 2024 

2018- Everyone is a Hero, the Malayalam film based on the 2018 Kerala floods, has been selected as India's official entry to compete at the Oscars 2024 race under the Best International Feature Film category.

The film focuses on the floods that rocked Kerala and is a hyperlink thriller following people from all walks of life affected by the calamity and their resilience seen during the tough times.

Directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, the film starred Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban, Asif Ali, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Lal, Tanvi Ram, Gauthami Nair, Aparna Balamurali, Kalaiyarasan and Narain, among others. 

Reacting to the feat, Tovino Thomas said in a statement, “It’s not just a moment of pride for me as an actor, but for the entire team that poured their heart and soul into this project. Through the film, we aim to remind everyone that amidst the chaos and destruction, there is always a glimmer of hope, and it’s the human spirit that shines the brightest. This nomination serves as a shining example of our collective efforts, and I am hopeful that it will resonate with the international audience, just as it did with our own.”

Jude and his co-writer Akhil P Dharmajan took inspiration from several real-life incidents to script the film, which went on to become a major box-office success. 2018- Everyone is a Hero is backed by Venu Kunnappilly, CK Padma Kumar, and Anto Joseph.

Actor Gauthami Nair, who played Vineeth Sreenivasan’s wife in the film, said with excitement, “My movie is going to the Oscars. Here’s something I never thought I would say. Small wins like this definitely make my heart full and act like a push or sign from the universe to continue moving forward and never stop believing that things work out in the end.”

Echoing Gauthami’s thoughts, actor Tanvi Ram says that she is happy to be part of a “great and historical movie” and adds, “What more can an artist ask for.”

The selection jury was headed by ace filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli, and 2018 made the cut by inching past films like Balagam (Telugu), The Kerala Story (Hindi), Maamannan (Tamil), Vaalvi (Marathi), Viduthalai (Tamil), Virupaksha (Telugu), August 16, 1947 (Hindi), Rocky aur Rani ki Prem Kahani (Hindi), Gadar 2 (Hindi), and Dasara (Telugu). Incidentally, 2018 was the only Malayalam film in the final contention.  

Since Lagaan (2002), India has never made it to the final five of the Oscars. It is to be noted that 2018 is only the fourth Malayalam film after Guru (1997), Adaminte Makan Abu (2011) and Jallikattu (2019) to be picked as India's official submission for the Academy Awards.