Aamir Khan Sahab-Anusha Rizvi face off continues

The Anusha-Aamir face-off is from over. As Aamir Khan prepares to take on Los Angeles for Peepli (Live) to get an Oscar nomination, the film’s director, Anusha Rizvi, has made it very clear (through co-producers UTV) that she doesn’t want any lobbying at the Oscar level for her film.

UTV is in a fix since they cannot bypass Aamir’s plans. At the same time Anusha Rizvi’s go-ahead regarding any promotion of Peepli (Live) cannot be circumvented either.

Says a source, “Aamir has been to the Oscars with two of his films, Lagaan and Taare Zameen Par. He knows how vital the whole process of lobbying prior to an Oscar nomination is.

He obviously wants to give Peepli (Live) his best shot. Anusha Rizvi, on the other hand, is strictly against any kind of lobbying at the Oscars and has conveyed her opinion categorically to UTV.”

When contacted, Anusha said, “Right now, the Oscars are far from my mind. My husband and I have just shifted to our new house in Delhi. We are busy enjoying the smell and feel of relocating. Oscars? I will only say this. Peepli (Live) has already made its point.

Audiences all over the world have been told what it is about and why they should watch it. Saying anything more on any international platform, whether it is the Oscars or the Berlin Film Festival would not just be redundant but embarrassing.”

UTV chose to stay mum through this impasse, sandwiched between the two. CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur, said “We’d choose not to comment on this.” Wake up, Sid!