‘Squid Game,’ ‘Emilia Perez’ Triumph Over Indian Nominees At Critics Choice Awards

India-West News Desk

SANTA MONICA, CA – Indian nominees Citadel: Honey Bunny and All We Imagine As Light fell short at the 30th Critics Choice Awards on February 7, as South Korea’s Squid Game and Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez emerged victorious in their respective categories at the Barker Hangar.

Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu-starrer Citadel: Honey Bunny, directed by Raj & DK, lost in the Best Foreign Language Series category to Squid Game. Other nominees included Acapulco (Apple TV+), La Maquina (Hulu), The Law According to Lidia Poet (Netflix), My Brilliant Friend (HBO Max), Pachinko (Apple TV+), and Senna (Netflix).

Despite the loss, Citadel: Honey Bunny had gained traction in India after winning Best Series (Critics) and Best Screenplay at the Filmfare OTT Awards 2024. The show is an Indian spin-off of Amazon Prime Video’s Citadel and is executive-produced by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO.

In another disappointment for India, Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light lost the Best Foreign Language Film award to Emilia Perez, a Spanish-language French musical crime drama. The film, which premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, received the Jury Prize and Best Actress award for its female ensemble.

Despite its loss, All We Imagine As Light has remained a significant presence in global cinema. The Indo-French co-production was the first Indian film to win the prestigious Grand Prix at Cannes 2024 and has been widely lauded for its evocative storytelling.