The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently announced that the Hindi film Homebound has officially advanced to the shortlist for the 98th Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the film is one of only fifteen titles selected from a massive pool of global entries to move into the final stage of voting.
While India sends a submission nearly every year, reaching the official shortlist is a rare achievement that signifies a film has survived the first rigorous round of Academy voting. According to reports from Variety and The Hindu, Homebound is now just one step away from a final nomination, joining a very exclusive group of Indian films that have managed to clear this high hurdle.
Mother India (1958)
The first Indian film to ever be officially shortlisted and subsequently nominated was Mehboob Khan’s Mother India. This epic drama defined the country’s cinematic identity on the world stage. The film reached the final five in the Best Foreign Language Film category and famously lost the Oscar by only a single vote. Its success established a blueprint for Indian storytelling, though it would be decades before another film from the country reached the same height.
Salaam Bombay! (1989)
In 1989, Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! broke a thirty-year dry spell for Indian cinema at the Oscars. The film was shortlisted and then nominated for its raw, unflinching look at the lives of children living on the streets of Mumbai. Unlike the polished studio productions of the time, this film used real street children and on-location filming to capture a sense of realism that resonated deeply with Academy voters. As per The New York Times, its inclusion in the shortlist was a watershed moment for independent Indian filmmakers seeking international distribution.
Lagaan (2002)
The sports epic Lagaan became the third Indian film to reach the official shortlist and earn a final nomination. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Aamir Khan, the film successfully blended the traditional elements of a Bollywood musical with a universal underdog story. Tthe film’s campaign in Los Angeles was one of the most organized in Indian history, helping the Academy members appreciate a four-hour runtime centered around a cricket match. It remains one of the most celebrated Indian films to ever reach the final stage of the Oscar race.
Last Film Show (2023)
After a twenty-year gap, Pan Nalin’s Gujarati-language film Last Film Show (Chhello Show) was officially shortlisted for the 95th Academy Awards. While the film did not ultimately secure a spot in the final five nominees, its presence in the top fifteen was a major victory for regional Indian cinema. According to Deadline, the film was a semi-autobiographical tribute to the magic of celluloid, and its shortlisting highlighted the Academy’s growing interest in diverse Indian languages beyond just Hindi cinema.
Homebound (2026)
The most recent addition to this prestigious list is Homebound, which has officially made the 2026 Oscar shortlist. The film explores the lives of two friends in a shifting social climate and has received international acclaim since its premiere. The film is being lauded for its technical brilliance and emotional depth, putting it in a strong position for the final nomination announcement on January 22, 2026. This achievement marks only the fifth time in history that an Indian entry has reached this elite stage of the international feature category.