'DAM 999' director unfazed about missing Oscar nomination

Marine engineer turned film director Sohan Roy, whose "DAM 999" failed to secure a nomination for the 84th Academy Awards, is unfazed about missing out and is already planning his next project.

Speaking to IANS over the telephone from Dubai, Roy was graceful in defeat, saying his film's journey so far was more than sufficient.

"I consider this as an achievement that my film travelled this far in the Oscars and I am happy with that," he said Roy. The movie stood a chance to feature in the best picture, best original song and best original score categories.

The nominations were announced at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Los Angeles. Roy added he was waiting for Tuesday to decide the future course of action for marketing his debut film.

"We are now getting ready to participate in the European Film Market which begins in Berlin next month where the marketing of the film would be finalised," said Roy.

And given the hard work he has put in, Roy has already announced his next project.

"It is going to be a film on Somali pirates for which work has begun on the drawing board. It will take some time before it actually starts and the first step for it has commenced and we have made a small documentary on it," added Roy.

Roy's "DAM 999", a $10 million film, tells the tale of a cracking dam built during colonial rule and revolves around nine characters and their emotions. The lives of all the nine characters revolve around the central edifice -- the pressure-mounted dam.

The movie was unusually not in the running for the foreign movie category, but as a contender against international biggies like "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", "Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", "Thor", "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol". It was among 265 films that were contending for the best picture nomination at the Oscars.

Also, three of its songs -- "Dakkanaga Dugu Dugu", "DAM999 Theme Song" and "Mujhe Chhod Ke" -- were among the 39 shortlisted for nominations in the original song category.