New York: Battle lines have been drawn for the 75th annual Academy awards, as musical 'Chicago' danced away with 13 nominations, including best picture and four acting categories, while 'Devdas', Bollywood's own dance drama lost out in the foreign film category.

Despite the media hype it created as India's official entry, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Rs 38 crore blockbuster 'Devdas' starring Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai and Jackie Shroff, lost out in the foreign film category to 'Crime of Father Amaro' from Mexico, 'Hero' from China, 'Man without a Past' from Finland, 'Nowhere in Africa' from Germany and 'Zus and Zo' from The Netherlands.

Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou's martial-arts historical epic 'Hero' has a star- studded cast and a large budget, but faces the burden of living up to previous best foreign film Oscar winner 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'.

'The Crime of Father Amaro' ('El crimen del padre Amaro') was directed by Carlos Carerra; 'A Man Without a Past' by Aki Kaurismaki; 'Nowhere in Africa' by Caroline Link; and the 'Zus and Zo' by Paula van der Oest.

'Chicago', the Catherine Zeta Jones – Rene Zellwegger starrer, is followed by 'Gangs of New York', which won 10 nominations, 'The Hours', 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' and 'The Pianist'.

'Chicago' was adapted from a stage play about two murderous women, who vie for tabloid celebrity.

Meryl Streep, 53, became the most nominated actress in Oscar history by earning her 13th nomination for 'Adaptation', even as thespian and multiple Oscar winner Jack Nicholson extended his record as the most-nominated male actor with his 12th nod for performance in 'About Schmidt'.

'Chicago' director Rob Marshall will vie for the best director statue, as his movie won nominations for lead actresses Renee Zellwegger, supporting actress Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones as also supporting actor John C Reilly.

Marshall will have tough competition from veteran film maker Martin Scorsese ('Gangs of New York'), fugitive master-craftsman Roman Polanski ('The Pianist'), Stephen Daldry ('The Hours'), and Pedro Almodvar ('Talk to Her').

Adrien Brody ('The Pianist'), Nicolas Cage ('Adaptation), Michael Caine ('The Quiet American'), Daniel day-Lewis ('Gangs of New York') and Jack Nicholson ('About Schmidt') were nominated in best actor category.

The nominees for best actress include Salma Hayek ('Frida'), Nicole Kidman ('The Hours'), Diane Lane ('Unfaithful'), Julianne Moore ('Far From Heaven') and Renee Zellweger ('Chicago').

Nominations for supporting actor are Chris Cooper ('Adaptation'), Ed Harris, ('The Hours'), Paul Newman ('Road to Perdition'), John C Reilly ('Chicago') and Christopher Walken ('Catch Me If You Can').

Kathy Bates ('About Schmidt'), Julianne Moore ('The Hours'), Queen Latifah ('Chicago'), Meryl Streep ('Adaptation') and Catherine Zeta-Jones ('Chicago') have been nominated in the supporting actress category.

PTI