New Delhi — The Hindi film Homebound, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, has officially been chosen as India’s entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category.
At a press conference in Kolkata, N. Chandra, chairperson of the selection committee, announced that 24 films across multiple Indian languages were reviewed before Homebound was selected. “It was a very difficult choice. These were films that touched the lives of people,” Chandra said. “We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark.”
Starring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa, Homebound tells the poignant story of two childhood friends from a small North Indian village who aspire to join the police force to claim the dignity long denied to them. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, earning global acclaim for its sensitive portrayal of friendship, struggle, and hope.
Reflecting on the film’s emotional resonance, Janhvi Kapoor said, “When we were shooting, there was a collective sense that we were trying to make something bigger than us. At Cannes, when we saw how people reacted, it felt like we had touched something universal, inspiring empathy in a divided world.”
Vishal Jethwa added that watching the film with a global audience transformed his own experience: “At Cannes, the experience was powerful. It wasn’t just about reviews anymore — it was about how deeply it connected with people.”
This marks India’s second consecutive strong entry after Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, which represented India at the Oscars last year and was widely celebrated for its social message.
With Homebound carrying the hopes of Indian cinema on the global stage, expectations are high that this moving tale of perseverance and friendship will capture the attention of Academy voters and further cement India’s place in the world of international storytelling.