Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Hindi feature Homebound has been announced as India’s official submission for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. The decision was made on Friday by the selection committee chaired by veteran filmmaker N. Chandra.

Homebound, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, was chosen from among 24 films in contention across multiple Indian languages.

“It was a very difficult choice. These were films that touched the lives of people. We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark,” Chandra said, adding that the jury’s decision to back Homebound was unanimous.

Reacting to the news on Instagram, Ghaywan wrote, “OMG!!! This is Real!!”

Questions had been raised about whether more controversial titles such as The Bengal Files had been considered. Chandra clarified that all films on the shortlist were strong contenders but ultimately only one could represent India. Alongside The Bengal Files, titles such as Pushpa 2, The Pyre, Kesari, Superboys of Malegaon and Veera Chandrahasa were also in the running.

Backed by producers Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, Homebound features Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor in leading roles.

The story is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer’s article for The New York Times, 'Taking Amrit Home' (also published under the title 'A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway'). It follows the friendship between a Muslim and a Dalit boy who aspire to join the police service, seeking dignity long denied to them because of their surnames.

When Homebound premiered at Cannes, it earned a nine-minute standing ovation — echoing the reception Ghaywan’s acclaimed debut Masaan received at the festival in 2015. The film has since been warmly received on the international festival circuit, with Martin Scorsese serving as executive producer.

“I have seen Neeraj’s first film Masaan in 2015 and I loved it, so when Mélita Toscan du Plantier (producer) sent me his second film, I was curious. I loved the story, the culture and was willing to help. Neeraj has made a beautifully crafted film that’s a significant contribution to Indian cinema,” Scorsese said in a statement shared by Johar on Instagram.

Ghaywan later revealed that Scorsese guided the team during the writing and post-production process. “He listened with care, understood the cultural context, and offered thoughtful, incisive notes each time. His kindness and commitment are extraordinary, and to have him nurture our film has been both a rare privilege and a profoundly humbling experience,” the director said earlier this year.

The film, scheduled for a theatrical release on 26 September, has already garnered major honours. At the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, it won Best Film and Best Director for Ghaywan, while at Toronto it finished as the second runner-up for the International People’s Choice Award.

While Indian cinema has won Academy Awards in categories such as Best Song, Best Music, Sound and Costume — for films including Slumdog Millionaire and RRR — no Indian film has yet taken home the award for Best International Feature Film, previously known as Best Foreign Film.

Only three Indian entries have been nominated in the category so far: Mehboob Khan’s Mother India, Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay, and Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan. Deepa Mehta’s Water, starring John Abraham and Lisa Ray, was also nominated, though it was submitted by Canada.

The 98th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, 15 March 2026.

With PTI inputs