Dam999, Sohan Roy's film which triggered conflict between Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the Mullaperiyar Dam, is gearing up to make it big at the Oscars. The film features among the 265 feature films shortlisted for the 2011 Best Picture Oscar. Two hundred sixty-five feature films are eligible for the 2011 Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today.

The movie had a week long Oscar Qualifying Screening at Los Angeles in October. In addition, three songs from DAM 999 are among the 39 shortlisted numbers in contention for nominations in the Original Song category at the Oscars.

The list was announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on its official website. Dakkanaga Dugu Dugu, DAM 999 Theme Song and Mujhe Chhod Ke are the three songs from DAM 999 that are vying for a place in the final nomination list for the category. International films Rio and The Muppets are the only other films with three songs each in the list.

The Academy will screen clips featuring each song, in random order, for voting members of the music branch in Los Angeles Jan 5, 2012. Following the screenings, members will determine the nominees by an averaged point system of voting. Under Academy rules, a maximum of two songs may be nominated from any one film. The final 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced January 24, 2012, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre.