Homebound: Neeraj Ghaywan’s Powerful Film Chosen as India’s Oscar Entry — Cast, Story & What Makes It Special
Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa & Janhvi Kapoor, has been selected as India’s official submission for the 98th Academy Awards in Best International Feature Film and is inspired by a NYT essay, critically acclaimed at Cannes & TIFF, and set for release on September 26, 2025. Here’s all you need to know.
Homebound Oscars Entry 2026 – Cast, Direction, Story & India’s Hope for Best International Feature
From lockdown migrant tragedy to global acclaim — Homebound brings hope, heartbreak, and a chance for India on the Oscars stage.
Movie Cast & Direction
- Director / Writer: Neeraj Ghaywan (also involved in screenplay; co-written with Basharat Peer & others)
- Producers: Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra; Executive Producer: Martin Scorsese
- Lead Cast:
• Ishaan Khatter as Mohammad Shoaib Ali
• Vishal Jethwa as Chandan Kumar
• Janhvi Kapoor in a significant role, friend to the leads - Other Key Crew:
• Music: Amit Trivedi; Score: Naren Chandravarkar & Benedict Taylor
• Cinematography: Pratik Shah
• Editing: Nitin Baid
What Is Homebound & Why the Buzz
Homebound is a Hindi-language drama film (2025) written & directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, inspired by a 2020 New York Times essay by Basharat Peer. It tells the story of two childhood friends from a North Indian village, Mohammad Shoaib and Chandan Kumar, who dream of becoming police officers to escape social discrimination, but whose lives are profoundly affected by the lockdown and its aftermath.
The film premiered at Cannes 2025 in the Un Certain Regard section, where it received a nine-minute standing ovation. It also made waves at TIFF 2025, securing second runner-up for the International People’s Choice Award.
(Homebound was announced as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category for the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026))
Official Oscars Entry & Selection
On 19 September 2025, Homebound was announced as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category for the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026). The selection was made by a 12-member committee chaired by N. Chandra, who considered 24 films in multiple Indian languages.
The Film Federation of India confirmed the selection. Producers and creators have expressed pride in this recognition, calling it a moment of both honour and responsibility.
Neeraj shared a poster of the film and penned in the caption, “Super chuffed to announce that our film #HOMEBOUND just won the @tiff_net International People’s Choice Award as a second runner-up!!”
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Trailer & Plot Highlights
The official trailer was released to positive reviews. It reveals the central narrative: Shoaib and Chandan preparing for the national police exam, fighting against caste and religious biases, then, during the pandemic lockdown, attempting to get home when transport shuts down. One of them dies from dehydration despite testing negative for COVID-19; the other carries his friend’s body home.
The emotional weight, grounded seriousness, and portrayal of socio-economic hardships make the trailer deeply moving. It also establishes that the film isn’t just about friendship, but about dignity, human rights, and injustice.
Release & Festival Recognition
- Theatrical release in India: 26 September 2025
- Global screenings/festival circuit: Cannes 2025, TIFF 2025 (with acclaim, etc.)
- Critical reception: Already praised for its storytelling, performances, and its ability to translate a tragic real-life account into a compelling cinematic narrative.
What This Means & Why It Matters
- India has sent films to the Oscars’ Best International Feature category before (e.g. Mother India, Lagaan, Salaam Bombay) but has yet to win in this category. Homebound is seen as a strong contender.
- Its themes—migrant hardships, caste & religious discrimination, the human cost of lockdown—resonate both in India and globally, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- With backing from established producers, festival recognition, strong leads, and a socially relevant narrative, Homebound is positioned not just as a film, but as a cinematic voice of its times.
Strengths & Potential Weaknesses
Strengths:
- Powerful true-story roots give it authenticity.
- Strong performances from Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor.
- Direction by Neeraj Ghaywan, who made a strong debut with Masaan, brings empathy, attention to detail, and emotional layering.
- Visuals and setting evoke rural life, struggle, companionship, and pain—filmic elements that often appeal to Oscar voters.
Potential Weaknesses:
- Heavy emotional/loss content could be intense for some audiences; balancing hope vs tragedy is crucial.
- Since it’s a drama with socio-political themes, it may be compared to earlier Oscar hopefuls; the freshness of perspective will matter.
- Festival acclaim does not always translate to Oscar nomination; campaign strategy, visibility, and sometimes politics also factor in.
Conclusion
Homebound offers India a strong, timely entry for the Oscars 2026. With a story rooted in hardship, cast performances that promise authenticity, direction that values human dignity, and global recognition already, the film has all the ingredients of a worthy contender. Whether it wins or not, it opens up conversations about identity, injustice, and compassion—and helps ensure Indian cinema continues pushing boundaries on the world stage.
