India has chosen Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Homebound” as its submission for the international feature film category at the 98th Academy Awards, the Film Federation of India revealed Friday.
The drama, which premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section earlier this year, stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor. Inspired by Basharat Peer’s 2020 New York Times essay “Taking Amrit Home,” the film follows two childhood friends from a small North Indian town whose shared dream of joining the police force unravels against the backdrop of caste divisions, religious tensions and the despair of the pandemic lockdown.
“A drama in which aspirations collide with harsh political realities, its tale of impoverished young men trying to escape their circumstances proves to be both a moving character piece, as well as a searing indictment of modern India,” the Variety review said.
The decision comes a year after India selected Kiran Rao’s “Laapataa Ladies” over Payal Kapadia’s Cannes prize-winner “All We Imagine As Light.” That choice sparked debate over whether the Federation was overlooking films with strong international festival momentum. Ultimately, “Laapataa Ladies” failed to reach the Academy shortlist.
“Homebound” counts Martin Scorsese among its executive producers. The film was named second runner-up for the TIFF People’s Choice Award in Toronto. Its selection suggests the Federation is recalibrating toward titles that balance local specificity with global reach.
India has yet to win in the international feature category, though it has earned three nominations: Mehboob Khan’s “Mother India” (1957), Mira Nair’s “Salaam Bombay!” (1988) and Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Lagaan” (2001).
Recent Indian entries including Pan Nalin’s “Last Film Show” and Rima Das’ “Village Rockstars” made waves on the festival circuit. Whether “Homebound” can convert its critical acclaim into Oscar traction will depend heavily on campaign strategy – mounted by producer Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions – in the coming months.
Ghaywan, whose debut “Masaan” premiered in Cannes in 2015, is seen as one of India’s most distinctive contemporary filmmakers.
