Homebound included in Oscar shortlist: One step away from nomination, what will happen?

New Delhi:Director Neeraj Ghaywan’s film ‘Homebound’ has achieved a big achievement for Indian cinema by making it to the shortlist of the Best International Feature Film category at Oscars 2026. This success is also special because out of 89 films sent from all over the world, only 15 have been shortlisted.

However, this journey is not over yet. After the shortlist, now the real test begins, from where only selected films will be able to reach the final nomination. In such a situation, the question is what is the Oscar shortlist, how is it different from the nominations and how challenging is the road ahead for ‘Homebound’.

What is the Oscar shortlist?

The Oscar shortlist is considered the penultimate stage of the awards race. In the Best International Feature Film category, a shortlist is first prepared from films from all over the world. This time a shortlist of 15 films has been made. All these films are watched by the members of the Academy and then the final nominations are decided through voting. That means being included in the shortlist is a big achievement in itself.

Story and cast of ‘Homebound’

Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar and Vishal Jethwa are seen in important roles in ‘Homebound’. The film exposes the truth of caste and religion-based discrimination deeply rooted in the Indian social structure. The story revolves around two best friends from the same village, who struggle to establish their identity and live with dignity. Made by Karan Johar, this film effectively presents themes like inequality, struggle, hope and courage.

Oscars 2026: Journey to final nomination

Now ‘Homebound’ will have to go through a month long important phase. During this, the Academy members watch all the films included in the shortlist and decide the final nominations through voting. This race also includes popular films like Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident (France), Park Chan-wook’s No Other Option (South Korea) and Joachim Trier’s Emotional Value (Norway), due to which the competition is considered to be very tough.

History of India and Best International Feature Film

In the 98-year history of Oscar, India has been counted in this category only on select occasions. So far only four Indian films have reached the shortlist, out of which three got final nominations.

• Mother India (1957) – Ibrahim Khan

• Salaam Bombay! (1988) – Mira Nair

• Lagaan (2002) – Ashutosh Gorikar

If ‘Homebound’ reaches the final nominations, it will become the fourth Indian film to do so. It is noteworthy that in 2021, Pan Nalin’s Gujarati film Last Film was also in the shortlist, but could not reach the final nomination.

India’s Oscar dream and hope

Till now India has not been able to win an Oscar in any film category. However, the song ‘Natu Natu’ from SS Rajamouli’s RRR created history by winning the Oscar for Best Original Song. Through ‘Homebound’, India once again has a chance to register a big success on this prestigious platform.

When will the final decision come?

The final nominations for Oscar 2026 will be announced on January 22, 2026. Voting in the academy will take place between January 12 and 16.

Oscars 2026: Best International Feature Film Shortlist

Belen (Argentina)

The Secret Agent (Brazil)

It Was Just an Accident (France)

Sound of Falling (Germany)

Homebound (India)

The President’s Cake (Iraq)

Kokuho (Japan)

All That’s Left of You (Jordan)

Sentimental Value (Norway)

Palestine 36 (Palestine)

No Other Choice (South Korea)

Sirat (Spain)

Late Shift (Switzerland)

Left-Handed Girl (Taiwan)

The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)