Neeraj Ghaywan's film Homebound, starring Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in the lead roles, has been shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Producer Karan Johar shared the news on social media along with an emotional note.

On Tuesday, Karan also stated that he is 'elated' and 'over the moon' as Homebound got selected for Oscars 2026.

On Instagram, Karan wrote, "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 … thank you @neeraj.ghaywan for making so many dreams of ours come true."

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A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar)

"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," Karan added.

Homebound at Oscars 2026

Homebound has advanced to the next round of Oscar voting, placing it among the final 15 films eligible for nominations in the International Feature Film category at the Oscars 2026.

The film emerged from a competitive pool of entries submitted by 86 countries and regions. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), only 15 films have progressed to the next round of voting following active participation by Academy members in the preliminary stage.

“15 films will advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category for the 98th Academy Awards. Films from 86 countries or regions were eligible in the category,” AMPAS stated on its official website. The shortlisted films will now be viewed by Academy members across all branches, who must watch all 15 titles before casting their votes in the nominations round.

Homebound has been shortlisted alongside films such as Argentina’s Belen, Brazil’s The Secret Agent, France’s It Was Just an Accident, Germany’s Sound of Falling, among others.

Homebound follows the journey of childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan) and Chandan (Vishal), whose shared aspiration to join the police force shapes their lives and choices. The film explores themes of friendship, duty, and the societal pressures faced by young Indians, with Janhvi Kapoor adding emotional depth to the narrative.

Earlier this year, the film premiered to strong reviews in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2025 and later made an impact at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it secured the Second Runner-Up position for the International Audience Choice Award.

Produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, and Apoorva Mehta, Homebound is co-produced by Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier. Renowned filmmaker Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar serve as executive producers, further underlining the film’s global stature as it continues its Oscar journey.

Free Press Journal

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