Ashwin Kumar's visually stunning mythological epic Mahavatar Narsimha has officially qualified for the 98th Academy Awards, marking a significant step forward for Indian animation on the international scene.
The animated film will now compete for a coveted spot at the Oscars 2026, sharing space with international heavyweights like Zootopia 2, KPop Demon Hunters, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle, after winning over Indian audiences and doing well at the box office.
Mahavatar Narsimha, which is presented by Hombale Films and supported by Kleem Productions, has been praised for pushing the limits of Indian animation by fusing breathtaking images with a mythological tale.
In addition to being a significant milestone for the movie, its inclusion in the Academy Awards race is a proud moment for the Indian animation industry as a whole.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stipulates that an animated film must be more than 40 minutes long and contain at least 75% animation in order to qualify for the Oscars.
Additionally, the movie must have a qualifying theatrical run in one of six major U.S. cities for a minimum of seven days in a row.
Under new Academy rules, films like Mahavatar Narsimha can now compete in both Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature, and the film has successfully met all these benchmarks.
This year’s list of eligible films spans a wide and vibrant mix — from The Bad Guys 2 and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc to Elio, Dog of God, and The Twits.
Mahavatar Narsimha stands out among these international hits as a potent illustration of India's storytelling potential.
The movie is only the start of a much greater cinematic universe. Director Ashwin Kumar has ambitious plans, with upcoming instalments including Mahavatar Parshuram (2027), Mahavatar Raghunandan (2029), Mahavatar Dwarkadhish (2031), Mahavatar Gokulananda (2033), and the two-part Mahavatar Kalki (2035 and 2037).
Also Read: Mahavatar Narsimha movie review: A moving mythological story which cannot be missed by kids for sure
Reflecting on the journey, Ashwin shared, “The Mahavatar franchise will be an answer to them. We are hitting certain milestones and benchmarks with the film for the Indian audience and diaspora. Yes, we are not at the world level because we don’t have that kind of budget, but we will get there because we have a system of jugaad in India, and we know how to figure things out. By the seventh film, we will figure it out.”
The Oscar nominations will be revealed on 22 January 2026, with the grand ceremony scheduled for 15 March 2026 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
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