Homebound’s actors Ishaan Kkhatter & Vishal Jethwa expression their reactions on getting selected as India’s entry for the 98th Academy Awards or Oscars. The Neeraj Pandey directorial also features actor Janhvi Kapoor in a crucial role.
Actor Ishaan Kahtter and Vishal Jethwa reacted to the announcement of their upcoming film Homebound being chosen as India’s official entry for the 98th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars. Jethwa called the news surreal while Kahtter took to social media to share the film’s poster, describing it as unreal.
Sharing Dharma Productions’ post on his Instagram stories, Khatter wrote, “Unreal, this is just the most special film”. The original post stated, “We are proud to announce that Homebound is India’s official entry for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards.”
The decision was made by the Film Federation of India president Firdausul Hasan in Kolkata on Friday (September 19). The film, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, was unanimously picked by a 14-member selection committee led by filmmaker N. Chandra.
Chandra revealed that 24 films were in the running. “It was a very difficult choice. These were films that touched the lives of people. We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark,” he said. He added, “‘Homebound’ was chosen unanimously by the jury to represent the country.”
OMG!! This is real! Homebound is India’s official entry to compete for the Best International Feature at th 98th Academy awards!! pic.twitter.com/aemprNafok
— Neeraj Ghaywan (@ghaywan) September 19, 2025
Ishaan Khatter & Vishal Jethwa’s Views After Homebound Selection For The Oscars 2025
While expressing his emotions, Jethwa said, “This moment truly surreal – its the kind of news every actor hopes to receive one day. Knowing that Homebound is representing India on the world’s biggest cinematic platform is far beyond anything I could have imagined when I first started my journey in films.”
He added, I am deeply grateful to Neeraj Ghaywan, not only for believing in me but also for trusting me with a role that pushed me as an artist and shaped me as a person.
Working also side Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor was just a special experience – they were not only co-actors but supportive collaborators who brought generosity and energy that enriched every scene.”
Concluding the actor said, “This recognition is not just a personality milestone it stands as a testament to the dedication of the entire team, their passion and the strength of Indian stroytelling.”
Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound was selected as India’s official entry for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards on Friday.
The announcement was made by Film Federation of India president Firdausul Hasan in Kolkata.
Starring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa, the film is set to release in theatres on September 26.
Homebound follows the journey of two childhood friends in a North Indian village, striving to land a police job. However, as they edge closer to their dream, desperation and personal conflict begin to test the strength of their bond.
The film’s story was inspired by an essay, Taking Amrit Home (now retitled A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway), by Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer. It was published in the New York Times in 2020.
Homebound had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category in May. The film marks Ghaywan’s second directorial after 2015’s Masaan, which also premiered in the same section at Cannes and won two awards.
Homebound received a nine-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. The film won two awards for best film and best director at the International Film Festival of Melbourne in August.
Recently, Homebound also bagged the second runner-up trophy in the People’s Choice International category at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Tanvi: The Great (Hindi), The Bengali Files (Hindi), Pushpa 2 (Telugu), Kannappa (Telugu), Jugnuma (Hindi), Kesari Chapter 2 (Hindi) and Phule (Hindi) are some of the other films that were in the fray for the Oscars nomination from India.
The 98th Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026. The nominations will be announced on January 22, 2026.
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