Homebound makes Oscar shortlist: A look at India's past nominations

India's official Oscar entry 'Homebound' has been shortlisted for the International Feature Film category, joining 14 other global films in the 98th Academy Awards race

Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound has advanced to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category for the 98th Academy Awards, keeping India in contention for an Oscar nomination in 2026.

 

The film is among 15 titles shortlisted from a pool of entries submitted by 86 countries and regions, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) said on its website.

 

Starring Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, Homebound is India’s official entry for the Oscars. It now moves to the final phase of voting that will determine the five nominees in the category.

 

Who are Homebound's competitors?

 

India’s entry will compete with films including Argentina’s Belen, Brazil’s The Secret Agent, France’s It Was Just an Accident, and Germany’s Sound of Falling, among others.

 

 

Only five films from the shortlist will ultimately secure nominations when the Academy announces the final list.

 

Storyline and festival run

 

Homebound follows the lives of childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), whose shared aspiration to join the police shapes their relationship and choices.

 

The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the Second Runner-Up prize for the International Audience Choice Award. 

 

India’s track record at the Oscars

 

India’s presence at the Academy Awards has historically been limited but notable, spanning feature films, documentaries, music and technical categories.

 

Feature film nominations

 

• Mother India (1958) – Best Foreign Language Film

• Salaam Bombay! (1989) – Best Foreign Language Film

• Lagaan (2002) – Best Foreign Language Film

 

Documentary nominations and wins

 

• The Elephant Whisperers (2023) – Won Best Documentary Short Subject

• All That Breathes (2023) – Nominated, Best Documentary Feature

• Writing with Fire (2022) – Nominated, Best Documentary Feature

• To Kill a Tiger (2024) – Nominated, Best Documentary Feature

 

Oscar wins linked to India

 

• Gandhi (1982): Won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director (Richard Attenborough) and Best Actor (Ben Kingsley). Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya became the first Indian to win an Academy Award.

• Slumdog Millionaire (2008): AR Rahman and Resul Pookutty won for Best Original Score and Best Sound Mixing, while Rahman and Gulzar won Best Original Song for “Jai Ho”.

• RRR (2022): Won Best Original Song for “Naatu Naatu” (MM Keeravani and Chandrabose).