Oscars 2026: Shalini Vatsa Has ‘Hopes Pinned On Homebound’ After Peepli Live Snub, Praises Karan Johar | Exclusive

There’s no stopping Homebound! Neeraj Ghaywan’s sophomore feature has been shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category. It’s now placed among 15 films still in contention

from around the world. After its celebrated festival run around the globe, it was recently screened at the film gala in Marrakech. In addition to the love the Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa starrer is garnering, superstar Shah Rukh Khan also lauded the film for being ‘gentle, honest and soulful’.

As team Homebound gears up for its Oscar campaign trail, actor Shalini Vatsa, who plays Vishal’s mother in the film, exclusively speaks to News18 Showsha. “It’s a big achievement for Indian cinema. It’s been magical for me. Let’s hope that the journey continues. I haven’t been able to speak to Neeraj lately because I know that he must be caught up with a lot of things. So, I haven’t bothered him,” she tells us.

In Homebound, Shalini essays a Dalit woman, who works as a cook in the village school. In a gut-wrenching sequence that highlights systemic exclusion, she’s forbidden from cooking for the children by their parents. But what Shalini hopes for the global audience to find is the silver lining in the film. “It’s a story about friendship. For me, Homebound’s a film about empathy. It’s about talking gently to each other,” she remarks.

In 2010, she marked her film debut with Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live, which became India’s official entry for the 83rd Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category. However, it failed to earn a nomination. But she remains hopeful this time around. “I do have my hopes pinned on Homebound. Hope is infinite. I’m very happy that two of my films was and is a part of the Oscars race,” says the Sacred Games and Ludo actor.

Just before the film’s world premiere at the Cannes International Film Festival 2025, it was announced that Martin Scorsese has come aboard Homebound as its executive producer. Reacting to it, Shalini shares, “When I heard the news, I felt a sense of happy bewilderment. It’s a unique journey that Homebound has taken. Martin Scorsese is what Martin Scorsese is – for the history and world of cinema. I don’t have to say anything else about him. All I know is that this is very special.”

While she didn’t really have an inkling that Homebound would go on to represent India at the global stage during its shoot, there are two things that Shalini takes back from its feat. One happens to be the personal notes that people have been writing to her and the other is the importance of banners like Dharma Productions in backing and pushing films like Homebound. “I hope more production houses follow Karan Johar and Dharma’s suit. And they make more of such films. All kinds of films need to be made,” she states.