Guneet Monga Boards 'Jallikattu', India's 2021 Oscar Entry, As Executive Producer: Report

Producer Guneet Monga will board Jallikattu, the Malayalam film selected as India's official entry into the 93rd Academy Awards to be held next year, in the capacity of an executive producer, Variety reported. Monga, one of the most esteemed names in the film industry, is herself an Oscar awardee for her 2018 production Period. End Of Sentence. Founder of production house Sikhya Entertainment, Monga is also the name behind critically-acclaimed projects like the Gangs of Wasseypur franchise, Masaan, and The Lunchbox, with the latter having earned her a BAFTA nomination.

Speaking about Jallikattu, which has been entered in the Oscars' Best International Feature Film category, Monga was quoted saying, "Jallikattu’ is a high-octane masterpiece backed by outstanding music and stunning visuals, a must watch for cinephiles. Lijo Jose Pellissery is a phenomenal director who has power to disrupt the global cinema. He is a significant voice from India and cinema needs fresh vision like his. I can’t wait for people to witness his genius."

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About Jallikattu's Oscar Entry

Jallikattu, borrowing its name from the bull-taming event primarily celebrated in Tamil Nadu, is an action film that follows the plot of a butcher and an animal for slaughter gone rogue. The film upon release was lauded for its avant-garde style that focused profound attention to the most complex of human emotions. It is based on a story by acclaimed writer S Hareesh, titled Maoist.

On Monga joining as executive producer, Pellissery told Variety, "Guneet was one of the first people to watch ‘Jallikattu’ when it was ready. It’s a great joy to have somebody like her as part of our team at the right hour."

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Since its premiere in 2019, Jallikattu has been received to widespread critical acclaim and is already the winner of several honourable film festival recognitions. Jallikattu is headlined by Antony Varghese, who made a thundering debut with the critically-acclaimed Malayalam thriller Angamaly Diaries. The film also stars Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad, and Santhy Balachandran.

Jallikattu was picked by the Film Federation of India as India's Oscar entry out of a list of 27 films, which included the likes of Shakuntala Devi, The Disciple, Shikara, Gulabo Sitabo.