`Lincoln` leads BAFTA nominations, `Pi` follows with nine nods

London: Hollywood films `Life of Pi` and `The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel`, which were shot in India, are up for major BAFTA awards this year, where Steven Spielberg`s political drama `Lincoln` is leading with ten nods. Indian actor Suraj Sharma has already been nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star award for his portrayal of Pi in the Ang Lee directed film.

`Life of Pi`, `Les Miserables` have earned nine nominations each and they are also competing in the best film category with `Lincoln`, `Argo` and `Zero Dark Thirty`. Daniel Day-Lewis is in the running for the Best Actor award for his performance in `Lincoln` as the US president who led his country through the civil war and ended slavery. He is competing with Ben Affleck for `Argo`, Bradley Cooper for `Silver Linings Playbook`, Hugh Jackman for `Les Miserables` and Joaquin Phoenix for `The Master`. Lee is up for the best director BAFTA for `Pi` with Michael Haneke (Amour), Ben Affleck (Argo), Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained) and Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty), her film on the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. Veteran Helen Mirren leads in the leading actress category with `Hitchcock` where she played the director`s wife. The other names in this category are Jessica Chaistain for `Zero Dark Thirty`, French actress Emmanuelle Riva for `Amour`, Jennifer Lawrence for `Silver Linings Playbook` and Marion Cotillard for `Rust and Bone`. Oscar-winner Javier Bardem has bagged a BAFTA nomination in the best supporting actor category for his villainous turn in `Skyfall`, which has also brought a nod to Judi Dench in the best supporting actress category for her role as James Bond`s boss `M`. In the supporting actor category Bardem is facing a challenge from Alan Arkin (Argo), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained), Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master) and Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln). Dench is facing challenge from actresses like Amy Adams (The Master), Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables), Helen Hunt (The Sessions) and Sally Field (Lincoln). `Les Miserables` is also in with a chance to win Outstanding British Film along with `Anna Karenina`, `The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel`, `Seven Psychopaths` and `Skyfall`, which may also pick up trophies for original music, cinematography, editing, production design and sound. `Argo` is up for awards in categories including best adapted screenplay, original music and editing. `Lincoln` is up for best original music, cintematography, production design, costume design and make up and hair. `Life of Pi` is also up for best adpated screenplay, orginal music, editing, cinematography, production design, sound and special visual effects. The EE British Academy Film Awards are going to be held on February 10 at Royal Opera House. PTI