'Homebound's Oscars entry: Vishal Jethwa says 'media manifested this'
What's the story
Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound has been officially chosen as India's entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. The Film Federation of India made the announcement on Friday. Backed by Karan Johar, the film features Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles. Jethwa told Hindustan Times that it was his mother who first told him about the film's Oscars entry. He also expressed gratitude toward the media.
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'The media manifested something for me...'
Jethwa thanked the media. He said, "Whenever the media manifested something for me, it has always turned out to be true." "It happened when a journalist wished for me to work with my favourite actor Katrina Kaif (Tiger 3), and now this." "I want to thank the media for always standing by me."
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'My mom had called me a few minutes earlier...'
Jethwa revealed, "My mom had called me a few minutes earlier and I couldn't talk to her then, so I understood it must be something big." "So, I called her back and then she shared the news to me first." "All the firsts of my career were rushing to my mind, my first day at acting class, my first day on set. I had a cut on my foot on the first day of testing for Homebound."
Film details
Film will be released in theaters soon
Homebound, inspired by true events, follows the journey of two boys from rural India who aspire to secure government jobs. The film shows their struggles against caste and communal prejudice. The movie will hit theaters in India on September 26, after a successful run in international film festivals. "The confidence is building up, but the nervousness will be there too till the film releases and we see how it connects to the people," Jethwa said about the theatrical release.