Oscars 2026: Neeraj Ghaywan's 'Homebound' Shortlisted for Best International Film

Neeraj Ghaywan's second feature film, 'Homebound,' has made it to the shortlist for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed the shortlists for several categories on Tuesday, December 16th. These included Animated Short Film, Casting, Cinematography, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, International Feature Film, Live Action Short Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Sound, and Visual Effects.

'Homebound,' which stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, and is produced by Karan Johar, is among the fifteen films that will proceed to the nomination round. Academy members from all branches will be invited to view the shortlisted films and cast their votes in the next phase.

Karan Johar expressed his excitement on social media, stating he was incredibly proud of 'Homebound's journey. He also noted Dharma Movies felt privileged to include such a significant film in their filmography and thanked Neeraj Ghaywan for realizing their dreams. He further extended his love to the cast, crew, and teams involved in the film, celebrating its journey from Cannes to the Oscar shortlist.

Other films shortlisted in the Best International Feature category include: 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.'

'Homebound,' with Martin Scorsese as executive producer, tells the story of Shoaib (Ishaan) and Chandan (Vishal), two childhood friends who pursue a police job for dignity but find themselves caught in India’s harsh socio-political environment. The film draws inspiration from journalist Basharat Peer’s 2020 New York Times article, ‘Taking Amrit Home’.