Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Barfi! has been nominated as India's entry in the category of 'Best Foreign Language Film' at the Oscars in February next year.

The film, directed by Anurag Basu which also features Priyanka Chopra, has beaten 19 other films to be named India's official entry to the Oscars. It registered a powerful box office collection in its opening week, by earning Rs. 58.6 crore.

The film, about love between differently-abled - a deaf and mute boy and an autistic girl - opened in approximately 700 screens in India on September 14.

"Barfi! is the Indian entry to the Oscars.

We selected it to represent the country out of 20 films," Supran Sen, secretary general of the Film Federation of India, told PTI.


  Ranbir Kapoor said, "It feels great. But there's still a long way to go. The Oscars has to select it in the best five nominee's list.   Priyanka Chopra, who is currently out of the country, tweeted "Yaaaaaay!!India's official entry to the Oscars.

 Disney UTV, the producer and distributor of the film, was ecstatic at the success. That Barfi! has been selected to represent India as its official entry to the Academy Awards 2013. Barfi! is very close to the hearts of all of us at UTV, and it gives great satisfaction that a film have developed and nurtured from its inception has met with so much love from audiences and critics worldwide.

 The fourth UTV film in the last seven years to have been selected to represent India at the Academy awards; our earlier selections being Rang De Basanti, Harishchandrachi Factory and Peepli Live..


The romantic comedy has touched viewers and critics alike with its simple, but powerful narrative. The film marked the Bollywood debut of southern actress Ileana D'Cruz, who has also been appreciated for her performance.

Ranbir Kapoor’s character is named Murphy

Director Anurag Basu's upcoming film Barfi! starring Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra has been devoid of any controversy, until now. 

According to reports, Mumbai-based company Murphy Enterprises has sent a legal notice to the producers of the film UTV Motion Pictures and Ishana Films dated September 10, 2012 for infringing the copyrights of their registered trademarks without obtaining a NOC. 

Murphy Enterprises was behind the iconic Murphy radios of the post-Independence era. 

In the notice, they have claimed that the film has used 'Murphy', 'Murphy Radio' and 'Murphy Munna' in the title song as well as in the film without any written permission. They have also added that if the notice is not taken seriously, the company will be filing a legal suit against the producers, thus bringing a stay on the film's release. 

Surjeet Kurup, the lawyer representing the company, feels that the title song of the film is not only a violation of copyright but shows the company in a bad way. 

"In the song Ala Barfi, the brand Murphy Radio is unambiguously mentioned and perceivably in a negative light. It appears that the story line revolves round the theme that the lady desires for a baby like Murphy Munna which is also registered trademark with us," he said. 

He added: "UTV Motion Pictures have done this blatantly without taking consent from the owners of this brand. It has annoyed the brand owners. We have issued a notice to the violators and are intending to proceed to file a suit for injunction and damages for Rs 50 crore." UTV maintains innocence. "We are clear that there has been no infringement whatsoever and we are in the process of sending a response to the notice," their spokesperson sums up. 

Interestingly, Ranbir Kapoor's character is named Murphy but he is addressed as Barfi by all around him. 

Apparently, the lyrics of the title song suggests that Murphy's mother desires to have a child like 'Murphy munna'. According to the notice, the mother dies as soon as Murphy Radio is put on and the child is named so, in her memory.