‘My Mom Called...’: Vishal Jethwa Recalls He Was On Set When Homebound’s Oscar News Broke

After Homebound’s win at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the movie has now become India’s official submission to the Oscars. The movie, starring Ishaan Khatter,Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa, has been receiving a lot of love from the critics. Now, Vishal Jethwa, who plays a pivotal role in the film, has reacted to the news of the movie becoming India’s official selection for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category on Friday.

In conversation with HT, the actor shared, “Whenever the media manifested something for me, it has always turned out to be true. It happened when a journalist wished for me to work with my favourite actor Katrina Kaif (with whom I did Tiger 3), and now this. I want to thank

the media for always standing by me.”

“Very few films have this journey from Cannes to Melbourne (at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne), TIFF, and the Oscars. When these names are associated with your film, it feels surreal. I still cannot process that this is happening. A lot has happened in the last fortnight itself,” he added while talking about the movie’s journey.

While talking about how he was on shoot when the news broke, he revealed, “I told her main koi bhi badi khabar main apni mummy ke saath sabse pehle share karna chahta hun. My mom had called me a few minutes earlier, and I couldn’t talk to her then, so I understood it must be something big. So, I called her back, and then she shared the news with me first.”

Homebound is India’s official entry to the Oscars

The Film Federation of India (FFI), the body responsible for selecting the country’s official entry, confirmed the decision on Friday, news agency PTI reported. With this selection, Homebound will compete alongside submissions from more than 100 nations for a nomination at next year’s Academy Awards.

So far, only three Indian films—Mother India (1958), Salaam Bombay! (1989), and Lagaan (2002)—have secured nominations in this category. None has gone on to win. India’s Oscar triumphs have instead come in open categories, most recently with RRR winning two awards in 2023.

Though yet to release in India, Homebound has already made a mark internationally. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it received a standing ovation. It later travelled to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, finishing as the second runner-up in the prestigious International People’s Choice Award category.