Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa’s Homebound Advances To Next Voting Round In Oscar 2026 Race; Secures Spot Among Top 15 Films

Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor-led Homebound – India’s official nomination for the 98th Academy Awards, has moved a step closer to becoming an Oscar-nominated film. As per latest reports, the film has inched closer to Oscar recognition after earning a spot among the 15 films shortlisted for the International Feature Film category.

Homebound Advances In Oscar 2026 Race

As per the report, the film successfully advanced to the next round of voting conducted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). With only fifteen films remaining from submissions across the world, Homebound now stands alongside some of the most acclaimed international titles of the year. It’s now firmly in contention for a nomination at the 98th Academy Awards.

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The other shortlisted film in this category include, Belén from Argentina, The Secret Agent from Brazil, and It Was Just an Accident from France. Sound of Falling from Germany, Kokuho from Japan and No Other Choice from South Korea also are part of the list. The other films among the shortlisted 15 entries come from Iraq, Jordan, Norway, Palestine, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan and Tunisia. As per reports, each film will now undergo a second round of voting that will determine the final nominees.

The official Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22. Oscars 2026 – aka the 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on March 15.

About Homebound

Homebound chronicles the lives of childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa). Their shared aspiration to join the police force to uplift their lives influences their paths and futures. Janhvi Kapoor brings emotional depth to a story that 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.

Homebound is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra, alongwith co-producers Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier. The film also features Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar as executive producers. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. Journalist Basharat Peer’s article, Taking Amrit Home, serves as inspiration for Homebound.

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

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.