The Tamil film, Visaranai, directed by Vetrimaaran and produced by Dhanush, has been selected as India’s official entry for the Academy Awards 2017 in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The film had won three National Awards this year, including Best Tamil film.

Critically lauded, Visaranai deals with police brutality and is an adaptation of M Chandrakumar’s novel, Lock Up. Thankfully, this is the second year in a row that we have avoided selecting a Hindi language film for the prestigious awards. Earlier, Tamil films like Jeans, Indian, Kurithipunal, Devar Magan, Anjali, Nayagan and Deiva Magan have been chosen as India’s official entries for the Oscars.

Based on the lives of four migrant workers who are accused of a crime they never committed, Visaaranai talks about a web of crime and politics, with themes inspired by real-life events.

Visaranai has been produced by Dhanush’s home banner, Wunderbar Films. In a statement, he said: “My sincere thanks to all those who believed in me and my production house. I would like to thank the fantastic cast of Visaranai, Dinesh, Samuthirakani, Kishore. And I would also like to thank the pillar of Wunderbar Films, my executive producer S Vinod. My thanks to the crew, press, media, well wishers, my fans and cinema lovers, each and every one of you who watch movies in theatres from the bottom of my heart. It’s a joyous moment for all of us. God bless, spread love.”