Director Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound has taken a major step towards global recognition. The film, starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, has been shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) in the Best International Feature Film category.
The achievement has left producer Karan Johar deeply emotional, with the filmmaker admitting that words are failing him at the moment.
Homebound Enters Oscars 2026 Shortlist
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the shortlists across 12 categories on Tuesday. In the Best International Feature Film race, 15 films have made it to the shortlist. This list will be further narrowed down to five titles when the final nominations are revealed.
Homebound now stands alongside several acclaimed international films. These include Argentina’s Belén, Brazil’s The Secret Agent, France’s It Was Just an Accident, Germany’s Sound of Falling, Iraq’s The President’s Cake, Japan’s Kokuho, Jordan’s All That’s Left of You, Norway’s Sentimental Value, Palestine’s Palestine 36, South Korea’s No Other Choice, Spain’s Sirât, Switzerland’s Late Shift, Taiwan’s Left-Handed Girl, and Tunisia’s The Voice of Hind Rajab. The competition is intense, making Homebound’s journey ahead both exciting and challenging.
The final nominations for the shortlisted categories will be announced on January 22, 2026. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 15 next year, with comedian Conan O’Brien returning as the host.
Industry Reactions To Oscars Journey Of Homebound
The milestone moment was first shared by Dharma Productions on its official social media handle. Posting the film’s poster, the production house wrote, “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.”
Karan Johar also took to Instagram to reflect on the film’s long and emotional journey. Expressing pride in the team, he 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.”
He also praised director Neeraj Ghaywan for bringing the film to life and turning a long-held vision into reality. Karan highlighted how emotional the journey has been, from the film’s Cannes debut to earning a place on the Oscar shortlist and expressed gratitude to the cast, crew and entire team while urging everyone to keep moving forward as Homebound continues streaming on Netflix.
About The Film: Plot, Cast And More
Homebound tells the story of childhood friends Shoaib, played by Ishaan Khatter, and Chandan, portrayed by Vishal Jethwa. Their shared dream of joining the police force shapes their bond and life choices. Janhvi Kapoor plays a key role that adds emotional weight to the narrative. The film explores friendship, ambition, and the pressures faced by young Indians against a realistic social backdrop.
The film premiered on Netflix on November 21 and has since earned praise from critics and audiences alike. Its global journey began with a world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, followed by a screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. The story is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer’s article Taking Amrit Home, also known as (A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway).
Produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra, Homebound is co-produced by Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier. Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar serve as executive producers. With an Oscar shortlist spot secured, it would be interesting to see whether Homebound will survive the final cut and make it to the ultimate nominations.
