Ranbir Kapoor, Anurag Basu hope `Barfi!` gets Oscar nomination

Mumbai: Actor Ranbir Kapoor and `Barfi!` director Anurag Basu are happy that the film is India`s official entry for the Oscars 2013, but said they have a long way to go to actually gain a nomination.

The film beat 19 other films to be named India`s entry in the `Best Foreign Language Film` category at the Oscars in February next year. "We all are very happy... It is a team effort but we should not be that excited as the film has just got an entry from India, we are yet to be selected for the main entry," said Ranbir, who has played the role of a deaf and mute boy in the film. After all the congratulatory messages poured in, director Anurag tweeted, "Thank you much!!! Lekin abhi delhi door hai (We have a long way to go)!! Pray for us!!" Only three films - Mehboob Khan`s `Mother India`, Mira Nair`s `Salam Bombay!` and Aamir Khan`s `Lagaan` - from India have managed to get to the final round of Oscar nominations so far. Ranbir, 29, said that they would seek advice from Aamir in case they make it to the final round. "If the film gets a go ahead, we would take advice from Aamir (Khan) about how to go ahead," Ranbir said. The film also stars Priyanka Chopra - playing an autistic girl - and marked the Bollywood debut of southern actress Ileana D`Cruz. Priyanka, who is currently out of the country, called the film a "labour of love", saying, "Yay! Congratulations team Barfi! This is such amazing news. This film was a labour of love for all of us and to see it receive such amazing success is so gratifying. "This has been the toughest character of my life and to see everyone loving Jhilmil is such a dream come true. I am thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful team who made this happen," Priyanka said in an sms message from Los Angeles. The 85th Academy Awards will take place on February 24, 2013. The nominations will be announced on January 10. Disney UTV`s managing director Siddharth Roy Kapoor, the producers of the film, also hailed its selection to represent India at the Oscars. "We are honoured that Barfi! has been selected to represent India as its official entry to the Academy Awards 2013. ‘Barfi!’ is very close to the hearts of all of us at UTV and it is gives us great satisfaction that a film we have developed and nurtured since its inception has been met with so much love from audience and critics world wide. He said an added source of pride is that this is the fourth UTV film in last seven years to have been selected to represent India at the Academy awards. The earlier selections were `Rang De Basanti` (2006), `Harischandrachi Factory` (2009) and `Peepli Live` (2010). `Barfi!` released on September 14 to good reviews and has been commercially a success. "The film has earned Rs 60 crore. It feels great... We have reached so many people, touched so many hearts. Everyone makes the 100-crore mark. I would target for Rs 500 crore," Ranbir said on the film`s box office prospects. PTI