Indian films at the Oscars and Cannes quiz
Indian cinema's biggest international moments.
10 multiple-choice questions, with the answer explained after each one.
Answer each question, see why, and beat your best score.
All 10 questions and answers
Want to check an answer or run the quiz out loud? Every question is here, with the answer hidden until you open it.
- Which film was India's first nominee for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar?
- Mother India (1957)
- Pather Panchali (1955)
- Lagaan (2001)
- Salaam Bombay! (1988)
Show answer
Mother India (1957). Mother India was nominated at the 1958 ceremony.
- Who was the first Indian to win an Academy Award, for costume design on Gandhi (1982)?
- Resul Pookutty
- Bhanu Athaiya
- A.R. Rahman
- Satyajit Ray
Show answer
Bhanu Athaiya. Bhanu Athaiya shared the Oscar for Best Costume Design.
- Which Indian filmmaker received an Honorary Academy Award in 1992?
- Shyam Benegal
- Raj Kapoor
- Satyajit Ray
- Mrinal Sen
Show answer
Satyajit Ray. Satyajit Ray accepted it from his hospital bed in Kolkata.
- Resul Pookutty won an Oscar in which category?
- Visual Effects
- Film Editing
- Sound Mixing
- Cinematography
Show answer
Sound Mixing. He won it for Slumdog Millionaire.
- Which Mira Nair film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar?
- Monsoon Wedding
- Mississippi Masala
- The Namesake
- Salaam Bombay!
Show answer
Salaam Bombay!. Salaam Bombay! (1988) was India's second nominee.
- Which Indian documentary short won an Oscar in 2023?
- Period. End of Sentence.
- The Elephant Whisperers
- All That Breathes
- Writing with Fire
Show answer
The Elephant Whisperers. Kartiki Gonsalves directed The Elephant Whisperers.
- Which Indian film shared the top prize at the first Cannes Film Festival in 1946?
- Awaara
- Do Bigha Zamin
- Neecha Nagar
- Pather Panchali
Show answer
Neecha Nagar. Chetan Anand directed Neecha Nagar.
- Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light won which prize at Cannes 2024?
- Palme d'Or
- Jury Prize
- Grand Prix
- Best Director
Show answer
Grand Prix. It was the first Indian film in competition there in three decades.
- Who wrote the lyrics of 'Jai Ho', which won the Best Original Song Oscar?
- Irshad Kamil
- Gulzar
- Javed Akhtar
- Prasoon Joshi
Show answer
Gulzar. Gulzar shared the Oscar with A.R. Rahman.
- At Cannes 2024, Anasuya Sengupta became the first Indian to win best actress in which section?
- Main Competition
- Directors' Fortnight
- Critics' Week
- Un Certain Regard
Show answer
Un Certain Regard. She won for The Shameless.