'Homebound' out of Oscar race; these 5 films make cut
What's the story
In a disappointing turn of events, India's entry, Homebound has been left out of the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards. The nominations were announced on Thursday evening (IST), confirming that Homebound will not be competing in this category. If nominated, it would have been the first Indian film to achieve this feat in 25 years after Lagaan.
Film details
'Homebound' director and cast
Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, features Vishal Jethwa and Ishaan Khatter in lead roles. Janhvi Kapoor also plays a key role in the film. The movie is produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions and has Hollywood filmmaker Martin Scorsese as an executive producer. The story revolves around two childhood friends from a North Indian village who hope to crack the police recruitment exam to escape caste-based discrimination but their lives take a turn when the process gets stalled.
Nominations
'Homebound' missed out on Oscar nomination; other films nominated
The films that secured nominations in the Best International Feature Film category are The Secret Agent, It Was Just An Accident, Sentimental Value, Sirat, and The Voice Of Hind Rajab. Despite its exclusion from the Oscars 2026 race, Homebound was India's official entry for the awards and had been shortlisted in the top 15 films vying for final nominations.