5 Bengali artists compete for Oscar 2025 nominations with "Iti Maa" and "Ishq Walla Daqu"

Five artists from Bengal are among those in the running for Oscar 2025 nominations. The songs Iti Maa from Putul and Ishq Walla Daqu from Band of Maharajas have made it to the eligibility list for Best Original Song and Best Original Score. The Oscars’ shortlist for these categories will be revealed on December 17, with 89 songs contending for Best Original Song and 146 scores competing for Best Original Score.

The song Iti Maa was composed by Sayan Ganguly, with Iman Chakraborty providing the vocals. Ganguly, who previously worked as a programmer and assistant to Pt. Bickram Ghosh, recorded the song on August 16, when Chakraborty’s voice had a slight rasp after attending a protest rally. The song was intentionally recorded with this huskiness in her voice, as Ganguly felt it added character to the track. The film Putul features this song, which has now made it to the Oscars eligibility list.

Ishq Walla Daqu was composed by Pt. Bickram Ghosh, with Shameek Kundu and Daliya Maity Banerjee performing the vocals. Ghosh, a well-established figure in Indian classical and film music, composed the score for the film Band of Maharajas, which has also earned eligibility for Best Original Score at the Oscars. This is Ghosh’s second chance at an Oscar nomination, following his 2014 nomination for the background score of the film Jal, which made it to the Oscars shortlist.

The films Putul and Band of Maharajas were both directed by Girish Malik. The inclusion of the music and scores from both films is significant as they represent work made and produced entirely in Kolkata. Both the songs and scores were recorded, mixed, and mastered in Kolkata, marking a significant contribution of regional music to the global stage.

The Academy's first-round voting for the 2025 Oscars will begin on December 9. During this period, members of the Academy’s music branch will vote for up to 15 songs and 20 scores, and the results will determine which songs and scores make it to the shortlist. Following the announcement of the shortlist on December 17, the nominees for Best Original Song and Best Original Score will be finalized.

Both Iti Maa and Ishq Walla Daqu demonstrate how regional Indian music continues to gain international attention. The eligibility of these songs for the Oscars highlights the increasing recognition of non-English language films and music in prestigious global awards, reflecting a broader shift towards more linguistic diversity in international recognition.