Guwahati: Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Hindi film ‘Homebound’ has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature category at the 2026 Academy Awards.
The announcement was made on Friday in Kolkata by Firdausul Hasan, president of the Film Federation of India.
‘Homebound’, which was showcased at both the Cannes and Toronto International Film Festivals, received strong praise at these events.
At Cannes, the film earned a nine-minute standing ovation, while at TIFF, it was named second runner-up for the International People’s Choice Award.
The film stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor.
Produced by Dharma Productions and supported by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra, ‘Homebound’ also has Martin Scorsese as its executive producer. It is scheduled for release in Indian theatres on September 26, 2025.
N Chandra, chairperson of the selection committee, explained that 24 films were considered for the Oscar nomination, with ‘Homebound’ being the unanimous choice.
Other films in the running included ‘The Bengal Files’, ‘Pushpa 2’, ‘The Pyre’, ‘Kesari’, ‘Superboys of Malegaon’, and ‘Veera Chandrahasa’.
Inspired by Basharat Peer’s article “Taking Amrit Home,” ‘Homebound’ tells the story of a Muslim and a Dalit who seek a police job to gain the dignity denied to them due to their surnames.
The 98th Academy Awards will be held on March 15, 2026.