National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri's independent film Pyre is eyeing an Oscar. The film, which tells the story of an elderly Himalayan couple waiting for their son to return home, has been submitted for consideration in the General Entry categories of the 99th Academy Awards through the independent route.Speaking about the decision, Kapri exclusively told India Today in a statement: "We made Pyre independently, with complete faith in the story and the people who brought it to life.
We never imagined that two ordinary people from a small Himalayan village would touch so many hearts across the world. The film has travelled to international festivals, won awards and, most importantly, found its audience."He added, "We believe independent cinema deserves the opportunity to compete on its own merits.
Our decision to pursue the Academy Awards through the applicable independent submission route is an extension of that belief. This is not just a journey for our film; it is also a journey for the many independent filmmakers who continue to tell stories against all odds." The development comes amid India's own Oscar journey, with Santosh Davakhar's Marathi film Gondhal selected as the country's official entry in the Best International Feature Film category for the 99th Academy Awards.
Interestingly, another Indian film, Angh, directed by Theja Rio, has also secured a pathway to the Oscars after winning the Platform Award at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The win makes it eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category under the Academy's new rules, which recognise certain top honours at six major international film festivals.Set in the Himalayas, Pyre revolves around Amma and Bubu, an elderly couple who have spent decades waiting for their only son to return.
Featuring Padam Singh and Hira Devi, two non-professional actors from Uttarakhand, the film explores ageing, loneliness, migration and companionship. The film has won 18 international awards, including 15 Best Film honours, and screened at festivals such as Tallinn Black Nights, So Paulo and Cambridge.
It released in Indian cinemas in Hindi on October 30 and is scheduled to arrive in Malayalam on December 11, 2026. Despite being an independent production, it has received an encouraging audience response, with viewers sharing emotional reactions and videos celebrating its lead characters on social media.However, recently, Kapri mentioned how theatres were being asked to take down shows of Pyre for the mega-budgeted Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana which released on November 5.- Ends