Karan Johar’s Homebound has concluded its Oscar 2026 campaign after failing to secure a spot in the final nomination list. Despite early buzz and expectations, the film did not advance to the Academy Awards’ final stage.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared its Oscar nominees on Thursday but Homebound was not among the five films in the Best International Feature Film category. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the official Oscar nominees on Thursday, and Homebound did not feature in the Best International Feature Film category's final list of five films. The film achieved critical acclaim and generated strong local interest but it faced difficulties in winning one of the most competitive international categories at the Academy Awards.
Best International Feature Film Oscar Nomination 2026
The five films that reached the final nominations for Best International Feature Film are:
- The Secret Agent (Brazil)
- It Was Just An Accident (France)
- Sentimental Value (Norway)
- Sirat (Spain)
- The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)
The chosen films emerged from a wide selection of cinematic works which represented films from every region of the globe. The Academy Award shortlist included major international films which featured Argentina’s Belen Japan’s Kokuho South Korea’s No Other Choice Switzerland’s Late Shift and Palestine’s Palestine 36 among other films. The competition for Homebound proved too strong because it failed to meet its target of international competition.
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Karan Johar’s Homebound Misses Final Academy Awards List
Homebound which opened in Indian cinemas on September 26 2025 stars Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor. The film takes place in an isolated setting during a lockdown situation which forces a divided family to tackle hidden family issues and unresolved emotional conflicts. Ghaywan continued his exploration of human vulnerability through sensitive storytelling which examined themes of pain and redemption.
Karan Johar on the Cost of Oscar Campaigns
Homebound received strong support from producer Karan Johar who worked with Dharma Productions on the film. Karan explained that the Oscar campaign process required significant financial resources while its success remained unpredictable. Adar Poonawalla who was his business partner encouraged him to pursue the campaign because he wanted to work on projects he was personally passionate about instead of making money from the initiative.
According to Karan, Homebound existed as an artistic risk which India took into international cinema to show its artistic potential instead of becoming a profitable business.
