http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/08/14/9916/index.html

Tabu for the Oscars
By Subhash K. Jha, August 14, 2007 - 13:40 IST

It's confirmed. Mira Nair is all set to push Tabu's name for an Oscar nomination this year. Says a source close to the project, "Mira is definitely going to project Tabu as a potential best actress at the Oscars. Though Irrfan Khan is as good, if not better the focus of Mira's Oscar campaign for her masterly study of the Indian diaspora is likely to be predominantly Tabu."

Continues the source, "Irrfan is excellent. But he lacks what the Americans are looking for in their Oscars recipe. Tabu is exotic, glamorous and mysterious. This is her first real exposure to the Western audience. And they're lapping up her utterly –butterly Bengali act, thick accent and all. On top of that she's also wowing the westerners with her performance in Cheeni Kum."

Will Tabu be the first Indian actor to win an Oscar? "Why not?" says Mira's creative compatriot Deepa Mehta. "She's amazingly good, on a par with any of her Western counterparts."

Six years ago Deepa had offered Tabu the lead in her richly lauded Water. The deal fell apart. A lot of global cineastes feel Mira's Namesake would do for Tabu what Deepa's Water couldn’t. Tabu herself remains supremely indifferent to recognition, at home or abroad.

http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/10/23/10296/index.html

Mira Nair heading to the Oscars
By Subhash K. Jha, October 23, 2007 - 18:08 IST
Mira Nair is no stranger to the Oscars. It therefore comes as no surprise to know that she and the producers of The Namesake are heading to Los Angeles to campaign for the film in several categories.

"What can I say?" Mira could barely contain her joy. "My entire Namesake paltan (clan) is already in LA, and I'm also heading there. I'm just so ecstatic that our producers Fox-Searchlight are doing an Academy campaign. This can only mean that The Namesake is very much in people's minds and hearts months after it was released."

The highly -lauded film is expected to get at least a nomination each for Mira and her leading lady Tabu in the best-director and best-actress categories. Mira has her fingers crossed. "Let's see what happens. The reality is that it's too early to say anything right now. We can only keep our fingers crossed."

I hope she pushes for Best Supporting Actress no matter the size of the role. Tabu would have a better chance in that category. I think she's one of the best actresses working anywhere.

Maybe she would have a better chance of winning in that category, but she was the main female lead in the Namesake, so I think that only qualifies for a lead actress Oscar. She should at least be nominated.

Maybe she would have a better chance of winning in that category, but she was the main female lead in the Namesake, so I think that only qualifies for a lead actress Oscar. She should at least be nominated.