'Chhello Show' is not a copy of 'Cinema Paradiso': FFI

Much has been said about the Film Federation of India's decision to select Pan Nalin's Gujarati film 'Chhello Show' as India's official entry for the 95th Academy Awards. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) alleged that 'Chhello Show' can't be called an Indian film and even said that it might be a copy of the Oscar-winning Italian film 'Cinema Paradiso' (1998).

Recently, Film Federation of India (FFI) president TP Aggarwal backed the jury's decision to choose 'Chhello Show' as India's official entry to the Oscars ahead of 'RRR' and 'The Kashmir Files'. He further said that he is not sure about the claims that it is not an Indian film in the first place.

'Chhello Show' was released in English as 'Last Film Show' and FWICE claimed the film has been produced by foreign studios and its main producer 'Orange Studios' is a foreign studio. When asked about why the film has been considered Indian when it is produced by international studios, Aggarwal admitted that he cannot say anything about this since he is also not sure about it.

However, he dismissed the claims that it is a copy of 'Cinema Paradiso'. The FFI president said that he had asked the jury members after they saw the film so many times and they have insisted that it is not a copy. Not a single scene is similar to 'Cinema Paradiso'. It can be inspired by the Italian film, but it is not a copy.

FWICE further questioned why since 'Chhello Show' was released in 2021 why it can qualify for the 2022 Oscars. To this, the FFI president revealed that they had already taken permission from the Academy for the same.

The Gujarati film revolves around a nine-year-old boy as he falls in love with cinema for life. The story is set in Saurashtra in Gujarat and is touted to be semi-autobiographical, as Pan Nalin was also born and brought up in Saurashtra.