Oscars 2026: India's Official Entry Homebound Misses Final Nomination List

Hyderabad: India's hopes at the Oscars were dashed once again as Homebound, the country's official entry for the 98th Academy Awards, failed to make it to the final nominations. The announcement was made on Thursday, January 22, squashing hopes of crore of Indians. Many had hoped that the film would finally help India secure a place among the final five nominees, but that did not happen.

Helmed by Neeraj Ghaywan and backed by Karan Johar, Homebound was contending in the Best International Feature Film category. The film features Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles and had earned critical acclaim for its sensitive storytelling and performances.

Reacting to Homebound missing out on the Oscars, Firdausul Hasan, President of the Film Federation of India, told ETV Bharat, "Our jury had selected Homebound because they believed it was the best film to represent India. The Academy jury, however, makes its decision based on its own criteria. Of course, it would have been good if an Indian film had moved ahead."

He added, "Naturally, I would have been happy if a film from the industry I belong to, a film representing our country, had been selected. But it is very difficult to say why we did not make it or what the shortcomings were. It is also possible that the films which were selected are better than Homebound. They must be strong films, which is why the jury chose them. We should respect their decision."

Hasan further said that cinema cannot be judged by fixed standards. "There are no set parameters for cinema. It is about creativity, and there is no fixed yardstick for that. We made an effort, but it did not work out this time. We will try again and send even better films next year." The nominations were announced live at 7 PM IST and streamed on Oscar.com, Oscar.org, as well as the Academy's official YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram pages. The Oscars ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 15.

Indian audiences were particularly invested in the Best International Feature Film category, which has traditionally been viewed as the country's best chance at the Academy Awards. Homebound had been India's official submission, beating several other titles from India that were also in the running. The films that secured nominations in the Best International Feature Film category this year are The Secret Agent from Brazil, It Was Just An Accident from France, Sentimental Value from Norway, Sirat from Spain, and The Voice of Hind Rajab from Tunisia.

Soon after the announcement, social media was filled with reactions from disappointed fans. One user wrote, "No #Oscar nomination for #Homebound. It truly deserved a spot on the list. Bad luck India!!" Another post read, "Yet again India misses out in the #AcademyAwards nomination. #Homebound." For many, the outcome feels like a familiar story. Despite strong films and repeated submissions, India continues to wait for recognition in the International Feature category.

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