Homebound shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards

Homebound has taken a major step on the global awards stage after being shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, marking a significant milestone for Indian cinema.

Homebound has been shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at Oscars 2026

The announcement was confirmed by Dharma Productions, which shared the news on its official Instagram account along with a message of gratitude that read, “Homebound has been shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. We’re deeply grateful for the extraordinary love and support we’ve received from around the world (sic).”

The Oscar shortlist places Homebound among a select group of international films competing for a final nomination, underscoring the film’s growing international recognition. Being shortlisted is a crucial phase in the Academy Awards process, as it narrows down submissions from across the globe before final nominees are announced.

While details about the film’s Oscar campaign have been kept measured, the shortlisting itself signals strong resonance with international audiences and voters. Over the years, films reaching this stage have often benefitted from positive critical discourse, festival buzz and sustained word-of-mouth — factors that can significantly influence final nominations.

Karan Johar shared the a snapshot of the list of films shortlisted and wrote, “I am not sure I can articulate how proud, elated and over the moon I am with the journey of #HOMEBOUND… all of us @dharmamovies are privileged to have this proud and important film in our filmography … thank you @neeraj.ghaywan for making so many dreams of ours come true… from Cannes to being on the Oscar shortlist this has been such an overwhelming journey! Love to the entire cast and crew and teams of this special special film!!!!!!!!! Upwards and onwards…….. #HOMEBOUND streaming now on @netflix_in (sic).”

The film's director Neeraj Ghaywan also shared this very happy news on Instagram.

More about Homebound

Written and directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the film is adapted from a 2020 New York Times article by Basharat Peer. Backed by Dharma Productions, it features Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor in the lead roles and traces the journey of two childhood friends as they attempt to clear the national police examination.

The film was chosen as India’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards.

The film had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on 21 May, where it reportedly received a nine-minute standing ovation following its screening.

It was subsequently released in theatres on 26 September, 2025, earning widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers praising Ghaywan’s direction, its layered themes, strong performances, nuanced writing and sharp editing.