Noted Assamese actor Adil Hussain has urged the government to release Rs 5 crore for the promotion of Rima Das' Assamese film Village Rockstars ahead of the Oscars, where it will represent India in the Best Foreign Language film category. On Saturday, the Film Federation of India (FFI) announced the independent film as the chosen one to vie with movies from several other countries to make the cut as a nominee in the highly competitive Academy Awards category.

FFI's selection committee chairman S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu, a veteran film producer, said there is an acute lack of funds to carry out the required promotional processes effectively, which is why many Indian movies haven't made it to the final round, barring three - Mother India (1957), Salaam Bombay! (1988) and Lagaan (2001). Adil was "flummoxed" with the statement.