Hindi film Homebound named India's official entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category.
Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata, N Chandra, chairperson of the selection committee, stated that a total of 24 films in various languages were considered for the opportunity to represent India at the Oscars.
"It was a very difficult choice. These were films that touched the lives of people," he said. "We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark," he added.
The 12-member selection committee included producers, directors, writers, editors and journalists.
Background
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, Homebound stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor in lead roles.
The film tells the story of two childhood friends from a small north Indian village who aspire to secure a police job that promises them the dignity they have long been denied.
Earlier, Janhvi Kapoor reflected on her experience working on the film.
She said she never approached it as a career milestone or a way to gain recognition, as the project felt larger than individual achievements.
She told Sucharita Tyagi, "I never really gave a thought to it as legitimacy or a career milestone while doing Homebound because I don't know if any of us made it about ourselves. When we were shooting the film, there was a collective sense that we were trying to make something bigger than us. I know it sounds phony but I truly mean it. When it played at Cannes and the way people reacted to it, we never felt like: 'People liked our work or film.' It was more like we moved people and made them feel something deeply personal, or perhaps inspired them to be more empathetic individuals in a world so caught up in finding reasons to divide."
She further added, "I never got this feeling of: 'Abhi kaun troll karega mujhe?' It was not like that at all."
Vishal Jethwa, one of the film's lead actors alongside Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, revealed that he initially struggled to relate to the film despite his hard work during auditions.
He opened up about his experience working on Homebound and whether he paid attention to reviews.
He said, "I am not very proud to say this but when I first watched the film with Ishaan... personally, I couldn't understand the film and I couldn't connect with it. But finally, when I watched the same film at Cannes, the experience was extremely different. After that I didn't care to read critical reviews as much, but some people from India called me and told me they loved the film. Indians are very excited to watch this film, especially knowing it is being made by Masaan director Neeraj Ghaywan. The depth of friendship that Homebound navigates is something very rare in cinema."
Last Year's Official Entry
Kiran Rao's light-hearted comedy with a deep social message, Laapataa Ladies, was chosen as India's official Oscar entry for the Best International Feature Film last year in September.
Laapataa Ladies was selected over 29 other films, the FFI chairman Jahnu Barua said.
"I am deeply honoured and delighted that our film Laapataa Ladies has been chosen as India's official entry to the Academy Awards. This recognition is a testament to the tireless work of my entire team, whose dedication and passion brought this story to life. Cinema has always been a powerful medium to connect hearts, transcend boundaries, and ignite meaningful conversations. I hope that this film will resonate with audiences across the world, just as it has in India," filmmaker Kiran Rao had said in a statement.
Laapataa Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan, was headlined by a fresh cast - Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastav and Chhaya Kadam - with a powerful cameo by veteran Ravi Kishan. The film released in theatres on March 1 and was applauded by critics and audiences alike, gaining more and more traction through word-of-mouth.
