Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound Gets Shortlisted for Best International Feature Film

Mumbai: ‘Homebound’ directed by Neeraj Ghaywan has been shortlisted and made it to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. ‘Homebound’, starring Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, was selected among the 15 films that qualified for the final nomination in the International Feature Film category at the 2026 Oscars. “15 films will participate in the next round of voting in the 98th Academy Awards International Feature Film category. Films from 86 countries or territories were eligible to participate in the category,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) website states. it said.

India’s Oscar nominee ‘Homebound’ has been shortlisted along with Argentina’s ‘Belen’, Brazil’s ‘The Secret Agent’, France’s ‘It Was Just an Accident’, Germany’s ‘Sound of Falling’ and others. The film’s official production banner, Dharma Productions, shared the news on Instagram on Wednesday. Dharma Productions wrote: “Homebound has been shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary love and support we have received from around the world.” https://www.instagram.com/p/DSVfVODDD_5/?hl=en According to the AMPAS website, the film was shortlisted following the active participation of Academy members in the preliminary voting round. “During the nomination round, Academy members from all branches are invited to participate and must watch all 15 shortlisted films to vote,” the AMPAS website states. ‘Homebound’ follows childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), whose shared dream of joining the police force shapes their lives. Janhvi Kapoor brings emotional depth to a story about friendship, duty and the pressures facing young India.

Earlier this year, ‘Homebound’ received major awards at film festivals and awards ceremonies. It famously premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes 2025, followed by an impressive showing at TIFF, where it won Second Place in the International Audience Choice Award. ‘Homebound’, one of India’s 2026 Oscar nominees, is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla and Apoorva Mehta, and co-produced by Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier; Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar serve as Executive Producers.