Director Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound has reached a major milestone, earning a place on the shortlist for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.
Featuring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, the film’s recognition has triggered an outpouring of emotion, particularly from filmmaker Karan Johar, who has confessed that the moment feels too overwhelming to put neatly into words.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled the Oscar shortlists across 12 categories on Tuesday. In the Best International Feature Film race, 15 films from around the globe are still in contention, with only five set to secure final nominations in the coming weeks.
Homebound now finds itself in distinguished company, sharing the shortlist with titles such as 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.
Final nominations will be announced on January 22, 2026, while the 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 15 next year.
Comedian Conan O’Brien is set to return as host, adding familiarity to one of cinema’s most anticipated nights.
The first public celebration of Homebound’s achievement came from Dharma Movies, which shared the news online alongside the film’s poster. The post read, “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 later reflected on the emotional journey behind the film with a heartfelt Instagram post. “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 wrote.
Expressing gratitude to director Neeraj Ghaywan, he added, “Thank you @neeraj.ghaywan for making so many dreams of ours come true… from Cannes to being on the Oscar shortlist this has been such an overwhelming journey! Love to the entire cast and crew and teams of this special special film!!!!!!!!! Upwards and onwards…….. #HOMEBOUND streaming now on @netflix_in.”
At its heart, Homebound is an intimate story about friendship and ambition. It follows Shoaib, played by Ishaan Khatter, and Chandan, portrayed by Vishal Jethwa, childhood friends united by their dream of joining the police force. Janhvi Kapoor brings emotional weight to the narrative, grounding the film in tenderness and realism.
After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival and screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, Homebound debuted on Netflix on November 21. Inspired by journalist Basharat Peer’s article Taking Amrit Home (A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway), the film has steadily won praise for its honesty and restraint.
Also Read: Homebound: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa shines at the premiere
It is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra, co-produced by Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier, with Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar serving as executive producers.
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