India, July 26 -- Despite India's rich cinematic legacy and global acclaim, an Indian director has yet to bring home a competitive Oscar for Best Director or Best International Feature Film. While Indian films like Lagaan and Mother India have made it to the nominations, and RRR sparked global frenzy, the golden statuette in a major category continues to elude the country's top filmmakers.

But casting director Mukesh Chhabra, known for his work on blockbuster films and his discovery of raw talent, believes that there is one director who could change the status quo. In a recent interview with Faridoon Shahryar, Mukesh named one director he feels has the perfect blend of heart, craft, and universality to break that Oscar drought and finall...