Good news for Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, Vishal Jethwa’s Homebound, film makes 2026 Oscars shortlist in category…

Ishan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor's Homebound has made it to the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category.

Director Neera Ghaywan’s film Homebound, featuring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, has made it to the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. With such great news, filmmaker Karan Johar, who is also one of the producers of the film, is feeling every emotion and has admitted that it is tough for him to articulate his feelings at the moment.

Good News for Karan Johar’s Homebound

On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced shortlists across 12 categories. In the international feature film category, 15 films have advanced and will be narrowed down to five for the final nominations.

Karan Johar’s Reaction on Big Shortlist

The filmmaker who backed the movie felt elated with the big shortlist. Taking to Instagram, he gave a huge shoutout to the whole team.

“I am not sure I can articulate how proud, elated, and over the moon I am with the journey of #HOMEBOUND… all of us @dharmamovies are privileged to have this proud and important film in our filmography,” Karan wrote.

He added, “Thank you @neeraj.ghaywan for making so many dreams of ours come true… from Cannes to being on the Oscar shortlist, this has been such an overwhelming journey! Love to the entire cast and crew and teams of this special, special film!!!!!!!!! Upwards and onwards…….. #HOMEBOUND streaming now on @netflix_in.”

Apart from Homebound, the movies which have been shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards are Japan’s Kokuho, Jordan’s All That’s Left of You, Norway’s Sentimental Value, Palestine’s Palestine 36, Argentina’s Belén, Brazil’s The Secret Agent, France’s It Was Just an Accident, Germany’s Sound of Falling, Iraq’s The President’s Cake, South Korea’s No Other Choice, Spain’s Sirât, Switzerland’s Late Shift, Taiwan’s Left-Handed Girl, and Tunisia’s The Voice of Hind Rajab.

When Will the 98th Oscars Be Announced?

Final nominations in the shortlisted categories will be decided in the coming weeks and announced on January 22, 2026. The event will take place on March 15, 2026.

The show will be hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien.

About Homebound

Homebound features Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in the main roles, where the two share a dream of joining the police force. However, their journey was not easy, with lots of highs and lows, yet the two somehow make their mark in the hearts of the audience.

The emotional depth in the movie is added by Janhvi Kapoor. The movie is available on Netflix to watch.

Following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the film was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.