The nominations for the upcoming 98th Academy Awards were announced on January 22. In unfortunate news for Indian cinema lovers, Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound has not secured a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category. The film, which starred Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in pivotal roles, was critically acclaimed at several international film festivals.
Homebound out of Oscars 2026 nominations
India`s official Oscar entry Homebound has failed to secure a nomination at the 98th Academy Awards, bringing a silent end to its campaign. The film, which had been considered a strong contender amid early buzz and critical acclaim, was absent from the final list of nominees announced on Thursday.
Earlier, Homebound was shortlisted under the International Feature Film category at the upcoming Oscars alongside entries from Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Norway, Palestine, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Tunisia.
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Homebound has received significant global acclaim, including premieres at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and the Melbourne International Film Festival.
With its Oscar shortlist, Homebound also reached a rare milestone, becoming the fifth Indian film to be shortlisted for Best International Feature Film in the Academy Awards’ 98-year history.
About Homebound’s plot
Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa-starrer Homebound was among the 15 films that became eligible for the final nominations.
The film follows childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), whose shared dream of joining the police force shapes their lives, with Janhvi Kapoor adding emotional depth to a story grounded in friendship, duty, and the pressures facing young India.
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the film is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, and Apoorva Mehta, and co-produced by Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier, with Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar serving as executive producers.
About Oscars 2026 nominations
Ryan Coogler’s blues-steeped vampire epic Sinners led all films with 16 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards on Thursday, setting a record for the most Oscar nominations in history. Ten films were nominated for Best Picture, as announced by presenters Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman: Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, and Train Dreams.
