Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and featuring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa, has been shortlisted for the prestigious 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Producer Karan Johar of Dharma Productions recently opened up about how, amid the celebrations, the reality check of an "expensive Oscar campaign" can feel like a "bottomless" pit.
What's Happening
- On the PeepingMoon and Telly MEK podcast on YouTube, Karan Johar opened up about how his business partner Adar Poonawalla never worried about the expenses for the Oscar campaign, as he saw it as an opportunity.
- Karan Johar said, "We were doing Homebound. I told him that doing an Oscar campaign will cost money, and sometimes it is a bottomless pit. Because you don't know what the result will be, and whether you will even make it to the shortlist of 15 and then 5. It is an uphill task."
- He continued, "You have to employ publicists and travel and make noise and do media abroad and screenings abroad. But Adar said, 'Karan, this is a great opportunity and a great film, let's do everything in our capacity. Let's not think of profit and loss on this one. Let's think of passion over any monetary benefit.' That's what we did. It is not a money-making exercise for us. It is about credibility. We will do other films for survival, but Homebound was always a passion project. There is no monetary game in that film."
About The Oscars Shortlist
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled its shortlist for the 98th Academy Awards, revealing selected entries across 12 categories. These include Animated Short Film, Casting, Cinematography, Documentary Feature and Short Film, International Feature Film, Live Action Short Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Original Song, Sound, and Visual Effects.
Among the films vying for a spot in the Best International Feature Film category is Homebound, which joins a diverse list of global contenders. The nominations are all set to be announced on January 22, 2026. Ishaan Khatter is in the US to begin the Oscar promotions.
Other films on the shortlist include Argentina's Belen, Brazil's The Secret Agent, France's It Was Just an Accident, Germany's Sound of Falling, Iraq's The President's Cake, Japan's Kokuho, Jordan's All That's Left of You, Norway's Sentimental Value, Palestine's Palestine 36, South Korea's No Other Choice, Spain's Sirat, Switzerland's Late Shift, Taiwan's Left-Handed Girl, and Tunisia's The Voice of Hind Rajab.
The official list of Oscar nominees will be revealed on January 22, 2026. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 15, 2026.
About Homebound
Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, was released in Indian theatres on September 26, 2025.
Starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, the film explores the intense emotional bonds and conflicts within a dysfunctional family trapped in a single location during a lockdown-like crisis, delving into themes of trauma, redemption, and unspoken secrets that unravel over tense confrontations.
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