Oscars 2026: Major films Homebound outshined in its winning run
According to an Outlook report, Homebound became India's official entry at the 98th Academy Awards, defeating a number of films, including Tanvi The Great and Kesari 2.
Pushpa 2: The Rule The Telugu blockbuster movie became one of the biggest Indian commercial successes and also among the prominent titles in competition, where Homebound surpasses to secured the official entry at the Oscars 2026. The selection of the movie also highlights the Film Federation of India (FFI) jury’s preference for Homebound’s authentic and socio-political story over a major commercial hit.
2/8
Kesari Chapter 2 Starring popular actors like Akshay Kumar and Ananya Panday in the lead roles, the movie was a major hit in the Bollywood industry. The movie was on the shortlist, but was ultimately beaten by Homebound.
3/8
The Bengal Files This controversial Hindi movie, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, was also taken into consideration by the jury. The fact that Homebound was chosen over this and other well-known films shows that the film's particular themes of friendship and unity during the COVID-19 pandemic were given special consideration.
4/8
I Want to Talk Abhishek Bachchan starrer movie was a part of the competitive pool of 24 movies from which Homebound was the ultimate choice for the jury, as also noted by the jury head N. Chandra, suggesting that Homebound’s movie direction and emotional depth resonated more strongly.
Tanvi The Great Anupam Kher’s directed movie was another running film that failed to secure its spot at the Academy Awards as India’s official submission against the Neeraj Ghaywan-directed movie.
6/8
Kannappa This Telugu-language film was among the pan-Indian movies considered by the 12-member selection committee, which ultimately chose Homebound's narrative and international festival buzz.
7/8
Kuberaa The film was one of the diverse regional contenders that Homebound was chosen ahead of, showcasing the jury's decision to back a Hindi film with a powerful, contemporary social commentary.
8/8
Superboys of Malegaon The Marathi film was also a part of the competing 24 titles, where the Ishaan Khattar starrer movie successfully competed against the strong contenders from the regional cinema that were competing for the Oscar submission spot.
