So if "Water" doesn't win the Oscar for best foreign film, it will have no other opportunity to play up its other strengths. A loss for "Water" would be an even greater shame as many of Hollywood's elite filmmakers are quite impressed with it.

Legendary actor and multiple Academy award winner Clint Eastwood said: "Cinematically, India produces some of the best films in the world. I am very impressed with the colours, music and cinematography. It's only a matter of time before the Indian film industry goes international and is on par with Hollywood."

US producer Jerry Bruckheimer said: "Indian movie producers need to make their products more international-oriented so that they appeal to people of all backgrounds and genres worldwide. Once they take this action, the Indian film industry will attract a global international cinema audience."

"Additionally, Indian movie producers must increase their print and advertising budget," said Bruckheimer, whose credits include "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Black Hawk Down" and "Pearl Harbor".

He added: "The only way for them to do this would be by raising substantially more monies for marketing. The reason why it is so expensive to produce movies in Hollywood today is because of the exorbitant marketing budgets associated with the movies."

It's interesting that India, which allowed its rightwing extremists to hound Mehta out of the country by torching her sets and burning her effigies, forcing her to film it in Sri Lanka, is now brimming with pride that an Indian film is up for Oscar consideration.

But "Water" is a Canadian entry and its first foreign film nomination since winning the Oscar for "The Barbarian Invasions" in 2003. If the film wins, Canada will be celebrating. India, on the other hand, will have to settle for a vicarious victory.