The 98th Academy Awards are set to light up the Dolby Theatre this Sunday (March 15) bringing Hollywood’s most prestigious night back to the global stage. For movie lovers in India, the celebration of cinema means an early Monday morning filled with glamorous wins and the return of a fan-favourite host.
While the stars gather in Los Angeles on Sunday night, the time difference shifts the event to the early hours of Monday for the Indian audience. Whether you are rooting for a record-breaking sweep or waiting to see familiar faces from home on the red carpet, here is how you can catch every moment.
Broadcast schedule and streaming in India
The live broadcast of the Oscars 2026 will be available through both traditional television and digital platforms. JioHotstar is the official platform for streaming and viewers can catch the on-demand replay as well by tuning into the platform.
For those who prefer watching on TV, the event will be telecast on Star Movies, Star Movies Select and Colors Infinity. The red carpet coverage is expected to begin at 3:30 AM IST on Monday (March 16) followed by the main awards ceremony at 4:30 AM IST.
For those viewers who are unable to tune in during the early morning hours, a repeat telecast is scheduled for 9:00 PM IST on Monday evening on the same television channels. This year’s ceremony will see the return of comedian Conan O’Brien as the host for the second year in a row, following his successful stint the previous year.
In a surpise for Indian viewers, The Academy has also confirmed that Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas will join the lineup of presenters alongside stars like Paul Mescal, Robert Downey Jr. and Anne Hathaway.
What to watch for: The most promising nominees this year
The list of nominations shows a very competitive year for movies. Ryan Coogler’s film Sinners leads the group with 16 nominations, which is a new record for the Oscars. AP News reported that it beat the previous record of 14 nominations held by films like Titanic and La La Land. Another top contender is Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, which has 13 nominations and is a fan-favorite for several of the main awards.
The acting categories feature many well-known names this year. Michael B. Jordan and Leonardo DiCaprio are both nominated for Best Actor, while Emma Stone and Jessie Buckley are competing for Best Actress; making for an incredibly competitive award season. This ceremony also marks the first time the Academy will give out an award for Best Casting. With many different types of movies in the running, the show is expected to be an interesting look at the past year in film.