Homebound misses top five Oscar nominations for Best International Feature Film

Well, here’s some news that might sting a bit for Bollywood fans. Neeraj Ghaywan’s much-talked-about film ‘Homebound’ didn’t make it to the top five nominations in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscar Awards.

Yes, the film that had critics raving and audiences buzzing at Cannes is missing from the final list.

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Who made the cut?

Instead, the Academy has picked:

‘The Secret Agent’ from Brazil

‘It Was Just an Accident’ from France

‘Sentimental Value’ from Norway

‘Sirat’ from Spain

‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ from Tunisia

Going global with this year’s nominees for International Feature Film. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/NaKlw64YgR

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 22, 2026

From Cannes ovation to Oscar shortlist

‘Homebound’, released in 2025, has been a journey worth talking about. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and co-written with Sumit Roy, it had none other than Martin Scorsese as Executive Producer.

Produced by Dharma Productions, the film is based on a New York Times article by Basharat Peer from 2020.

The film tells the story of two childhood friends, Shoaib and Chandan, played by Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa. Both dream of cracking the national police exam hoping a police job will bring them the respect and recognition they’ve always wanted.

But as ambition meets reality, friendship faces toughest test. Adding charm to the story is Janhvi Kapoor as Sudha, Chandan’s inspiring classmate who nudges him toward higher studies.

The film had its world premiere in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 21, and rumor has it, the audience gave it a nine-minute standing ovation.

Shortlisted but not nominated

Earlier this December, ‘Homebound’ was shortlisted among 15 films for the 98th Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category.

While it didn’t make the final five, being on the shortlist itself was a big deal, putting the film on the global map and drawing international attention to Indian storytelling.