Neeraj Ghaywan’s ‘Homebound’ selected as India’s official entry for Oscars 2026

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Hindi feature Homebound has been announced as India’s official entry for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. The decision was made by the Film Federation of India on Friday (September 19).

The film, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, was unanimously picked by a 14-member selection committee led by filmmaker N. Chandra.

Chandra revealed

that 24 films were in the running. “It was a very difficult choice. These were films that touched the lives of people.. We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark,” he said. He added, “‘Homebound’ was chosen unanimously by the jury to represent the country.”

Reacting to the news, Ghaywan posted on Instagram: “OMG!!! This is Real!!”

OMG!! This is real! Homebound is India’s official entry to compete for the Best International Feature at th 98th Academy awards!! pic.twitter.com/aemprNafok

— Neeraj Ghaywan (@ghaywan) September 19, 2025

Produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, the film stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor. Inspired by journalist Basharat Peer’s New York Times article “Taking Amrit Home”, it explores the friendship between a Muslim and a Dalit who aspire for dignity through police jobs.

Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who came on board as executive producer, remarked, “Neeraj has made a beautifully crafted film that’s a significant contribution to Indian cinema.” Ghaywan said Scorsese guided the team through the screenplay and edits, calling it “a profoundly humbling experience.”

Homebound, which earlier won awards at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, will hit theatres on September 26, 2025, ahead of the Oscars ceremony on March 15, 2026.

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