Homebound, a film about two childhood friends chasing a dream job but risking their bond in the process, has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards.
The announcement was made in Calcutta on Friday by the Film Federation of India (FFI), after a 14-member jury chaired by filmmaker N. Chandra evaluated 24 films submitted from across the country. “It was a unanimous choice,” said FFI president Firdausul Hasan. “The panel believes this is the ideal film to represent India on the global stage.”
The selection, which took place at Globe Cinema from September 12 to 19, concluded with a press conference announcing the winner.
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra under Dharma Productions, Homebound received a major boost when legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese joined as executive producer. Scorsese, known for classics like Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull, mentored the team and praised the film as “a beautifully crafted contribution to Indian cinema.”
Starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, Homebound premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, earning a nine-minute standing ovation. Ghaywan had previously made waves at Cannes in 2015 with Masaan, a poignant tale of love and loss set in Varanasi against the backdrop of the oppressive caste system.
Homebound is inspired by the essay Taking Amrit Home (retitled A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway) by Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer. Published in The New York Times in 2020, it chronicles two young migrant workers from Surat, stranded by the Covid lockdown, trying to return to their north Indian village.
The film explores themes of friendship, ambition, and survival. As the protagonists inch closer to securing a coveted police job that promises a better life, their deep bond is tested by the mounting pressure to succeed.
Reacting to the selection, Ghaywan posted on X: “OMG!! This is real! Homebound is India’s official entry to compete for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards!”
Hasan, a Calcutta-based producer of several national award-winning films, added: “As a proud resident of Calcutta, I’m delighted that this prestigious selection process happened here.”
India has officially submitted films to the Oscars since 1957, starting with Mother India. Last year’s entry, Laapataa Ladies, did not make the shortlist.