While Homebound fell short of a final Oscar nomination, the film's presence on the top-15 shortlist has been widely acknowledged as a milestone. Responding to the development, director Imtiaz Ali weighed in with an encouraging take on Indian cinema's growing international influence and Neeraj Ghaywan's creative journey.
Imtiaz Ali On Homebound Missing Oscars 2026 Nomination
Reacting to Homebound exiting the Oscars race, Imtiaz Ali told NDTV that Indian cinema's influence extends far beyond international trophies. He said, "I feel that Indian cinema, in itself, is a global phenomenon. More and more people all around the world are watching Indian films and getting inspired by them, and all of this is happening even without international awards. However, once any reputed international award comes our way, it obviously catapults us to a greater level of fame."
Imtiaz Ali On Neeraj Ghaywan's Journey
Imtiaz also took a moment to praise Homebound and its director for reaching the Oscars shortlist, calling the achievement significant in itself. "I would like to congratulate Homebound for having reached this level. It is truly a wonderful film, and I would have been very happy if it had gone higher and higher and won the Oscar as well. But maybe next time."
Offering words of encouragement to Neeraj Ghaywan, he added, "Neeraj also knows that life is long, and many more glories can be achieved in life. So all the best to Neeraj, to the film, and to everybody involved for the future. And hopefully, we will continue to inspire the world whether or not we get awards, but hopefully, we will also get awards."
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, Homebound starred Vishal Jethwa and Ishaan Khatter in lead roles, with Janhvi Kapoor in a key role.
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