Entertainment, Jan 23: India’s official entry for the Academy Awards, Homebound, has fallen short of securing a nomination at the 98th Oscars, bringing an end to its awards campaign after a notable run in the International Feature Film category. The final list of nominees, announced on January 22, did not include the film, despite it having made the prestigious shortlist earlier in the race.
Homebound had emerged as one of the 15 shortlisted films, placing it among a select group drawn from countries including Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan and Tunisia. The final five films that advanced to nomination were The Secret Agent from Brazil, It Was Just an Accident from France, Sentimental Value from Norway, Sirat from Spain and The Voice of Hind Rajab from Tunisia.
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, Homebound marked a rare achievement for Indian cinema by becoming only the fifth film from the country to reach the Academy’s International Feature Film shortlist in the Oscars’ 98-year history. The film follows the journey of two childhood friends, played by Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, whose aspirations to join the police force shape their lives, with Janhvi Kapoor appearing in a significant supporting role. The film earned critical acclaim for its restrained narrative and performances, debuting at the Cannes Film Festival before screening at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival.
The film was backed by an international production team led by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla and Apoorva Mehta, with Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier as co-producers. Acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar served as executive producers, adding to the project’s global profile.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled nominations across categories, with Sinners, starring Michael B Jordan, leading the tally with 16 nods. The Best Actor race drew attention as Timothée Chalamet became the youngest male actor to earn three nominations in the category, this time for Marty Supreme. He will compete against Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan and Wagner Moura.
International films continued to feature prominently across major categories, while the Animated Feature line-up included major commercial and streaming titles. The nominations were announced by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 15, 2026, with Conan O’Brien set to return as host.
