Homebound is out of Oscars 2026 list

Homebound, the official submission of India in the category of Best International Feature Film in the 98th Academy Awards, has failed to get a nomination after months of hype and buzz around it globally. The highly regarded drama will fail to feature in the final Oscars nominations this year despite being in the shortlist previously.

This is yet another step in the long struggle of India to get an Oscar nomination, which has rarely been successful in the past but, a few times, has always been a step short of the top awards.

Homebound: An adventure that narrowly escaped history

Homebound movie scene via NDTV

Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Dharma Productions, Homebound was selected as the official entry of India into the 98 th Academy Awards, and this is a good position to present the best film in the country to the world. The movie performed a phenomenal festival and gained a wider international presence.

It was nominated as one of the 15 best films competing in the Best International Feature Film category, which is itself a good performance given the fact that there were more than 80 international film nominations this year. Homebound was, however, edged out when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the final nominations on January 22, 2026. Instead, five international films were picked, such as Brazil, France, Norway, Spain, and Tunisia - India did not make it to the official Oscars list.

What has this impacted on the Indian cinema?

More than 20 years have passed since an Indian movie was nominated in Oscar in the category of Best International Feature. Lagaan by Aamir Khan was the last to receive a nomination in the 2002 Academy Awards.

The fact that Homebound was not nominated in the final nominations extends the long drought. To some Indian audiences, the development is a wasted opportunity, particularly since the film was well-received, and the fact that it had a good showing at the festivals and addressed emotional and social issues.

Meetings of reality of creativity: The reactions.

The reaction of the makers and cast of Homebound has been very emotional, and has been a mixture of disappointment, gratitude, and pride. Indian cinema producer and one of the main actors, Karan Johar, made an appearance on social media in defense of director Neeraj Ghaywan and the whole crew, and declared their work worthy of appreciation despite the Oscars' snubbing.

One of the actors, Ishaan Khatter, who portrays the lead in the movie, posted an emotional post on Instagram, in which he recalled the project as a very intimate experience and that he loved and appreciated the story, the director, and the crew.

Co-writer Sumit Roy also added on the issues of campaigning to win an Oscar, that awards are competitive, costly, and stressful, which may affect the exposure of a film and its eventual position in the nomination list.

These responses underscore a fundamental fact, which is that, as much as an Oscar nomination is a desirable event, the artistic influence and cross-cultural appeal of a movie can be experienced long after nomination and awards.

Why this still matters

Homebound has not yet achieved the nomination at the Oscars, but its trip indicates the position of Indian movies in the world arena - near enough to be noticed, applauded, and even taken seriously. To be nominated in the list of Oscar nominations is indeed an honor, as not every movie makes such a step.

The discussion that Homebound ignited: on telling stories, on representation, and international film will not conclude with its omission from the nominations list. At least it highlights the fact that more and more voices of nations such as India are finding their place in the worldwide film discussion, although they may not necessarily be awarded.

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