Homebound Shortlisted For Oscars 2026! A Look At India’s Past Performance At The Academy

It’s a good day for lovers of Indian Cinema to rejoice. During the wee hours of December 17, Dharma Productions took to social media and announced that Homebound has been shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. The film – written and directed by Neeraj Ghaywan is based on a New York Times article by Basharat Peer from 2020. It stars Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles, as well as Janhvi Kapoor, Harshika Parmar, Shalini Vatsa and others.

As we continue to celebrate this achievement, Bollywood Bubble tells you all about India’s tryst at The Academy.

India’s History At The Academy (Oscars)

Nominated Feature Films

Till date, three Indian films have been nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The are Mother India in 1958, Salaam Bombay! in 1989 and Lagaan in 2002.

Directed by Mehboob Khan, the epic drama starred Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar in lead roles. Mother India‘s narrative followed the life of a poverty-stricken village woman named Radha, who in the absence of her husband, struggles to raise her sons and survive against a cunning money-lender as well as more troubles. It was the first Indian film to ever be nominated at The Academy.

Releases in 1988, Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! depicted the daily lives of children living in the slums of Bombay (now Mumbai). Nair’s first feature film, it starred Shafiq Syed, Raghuvir Yadav, Anita Kanwar, Nana Patekar, Hansa Vithal and Chanda Sharma as lead characters. won the Caméra d’Or and Audience award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1988 as well as National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

Set in 1893, Lagaan is written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, and stars Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne in main roles. The period sports drama – which was also marked Khan’s debut as a producer, tells the story of how, the inhabitants of a village in Central India – burdened by high taxes and several years of drought, are challenged by an arrogant British Indian Army officer to a game of cricket as a wager to avoid paying any taxes they owe.

Shortlisted Feature Films

While three films got nominated, one film – aside from Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, was also shortlisted by failed to make it to the final list. It was the 2021 Gujarati-language coming-of-age drama, Last Film Show (Chhello Show). It was directed by Pan Nalin and starred Bhavin Rabari, Bhavesh Shrimali, Richa Meena, Dipen Raval and Paresh Mehta in pivotal roles.

Documentary Nominations & Wins

Several Indian made documentaries have made it not only to the shortlisted but also nomination list of the Oscars, with one even taking home the trophy. The Elephant Whisperers – directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, won the Best Documentary Short Subject at the 95th Academy Awards. The 39-minute-long documentary sheds light on the bond that develops between a couple and an orphaned baby elephant, Raghu, who was entrusted to their care.

The other Indian documentaries that have been nominated at the Oscars include, Writing with Fire in 2022, All That Breathes in 2023 and To Kill a Tiger in 2024.

Oscar Wins Linked To India

While the above-mentioned titles were all India’s official entries, the below mentioned film either went to The Academy on their on accord or have ties to India through their music or costumes.

• Gandhi – In 1982, this film won 8 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director (Richard Attenborough) and Best Actor (Ben Kingsley). Bhanu Athaiya – who designed the costumes for the film, became the first Indian to win an Academy Award.
• Slumdog Millionaire: In 2008, Danny Boyle’s drama – loosely adaptated from the novel Q & A by Indian author Vikas Swarup, saw AR Rahman and Resul Pookutty win in the Best Original Score and Best Sound Mixing catergories. It also saw while Rahman and Gulzar win Best Original Song for Jai Ho.
• RRR: After taking the world by storm, SS Rajamouli’s film won the Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu in 2022. (MM Keeravani and Chandrabose).

About Homebound

Homebound chronicles the lives of childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa). Their shared aspiration to join the police force influences their paths. Janhvi Kapoor brings emotional depth to the story. It explores themes of friendship, duty, and the pressures faced by young India. The film debuted on Netflix on November 21 and has garnered significant acclaim across various film festivals and awards.

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It was produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra, with co-producers Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier. The film also features executive production by Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar. Having premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, Homebound is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer’s article Taking Amrit Home. It is also known as A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway.

For more news and updates from the entertainment world, stay tuned to Bollywood Bubble.

Also Read: Oscars 2026: India’s Homebound Gets Shortlisted For Best International Feature Film At 98th Academy Awards; Karan Johar Pens Emotional Note

Grinell Jacinto

With nearly 10 years of experience, Grinell Esther Jacinto is the Desk Head of Bollywood Bubble. Her interests lie in everything that is kaleshi and she loves to dig deeper into the lives of B-town actors. She has a problem though – she loves horror films but will have chills the minute the theatres lights dims. She’s previously worked with Koimoi, UrbanAsian and SpotboyE.