Neeraj Ghaywan's critically acclaimed film Homebound is the talk of the town. The movie starring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa has been shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Homebound has now made it to the top 15 shotlist in the category, which is a significant step toward a potential nomination at the Oscars 2026. The Neeraj Ghaywan directorial has successfully moved to the second round of voting by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). ‘Homebound’ Movie Review: Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa Are Incredible in Neeraj Ghaywan’s Heart-Wrenching Portrait of Friendship and Survival (LatestLY Exclusive).

As we celebrate Homebound making it to the prestigious final 15-film shortlist, here is everything you need to know about the movie!

‘Homebound’ Cast

Ishaan Khatter plays the role of Mohammed Shoaib Ali, one of the two childhood friends aspiring to become police officers. Vishal Jethwa plays Chandan Kumar, the other friend, who also seeks to join the police force. Janhvi Kapoor plays the role of Sudha Bharti, an ambitious woman who has a love angle with Chandan Kumar in the film. The cats of Homebound also include Harshika Parmar, Reem Shaikh, Chandan K Anand, Yoegndra Vikram Sigh, Pankaj Dubey and Shalini Vatsa.

Team ‘Homebound’ at PSIFF 2025

 

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The movie is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra with Marijke de Souza and Melita Tosacn DuPlantier as co-producers.

‘Homebound’  Plot

The story of Homebound revolves around two police officers, Mohammed Shoaib and Chanfan Kumar, who dream of becoming police officers to secure a better life for their families. However, during the lockdown crisis, they are repeatedly confronted with social barriers, including differences in caste, religion, and economic status, that make their journey even more difficult. The story is inspired by a real-life incident during the COVID-19 lockdown.

‘Homebound’ at Cannes Film Festival 2025

Homebound was selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 in May. The Neeraj Ghaywan-directed drama received nearly a nine-minute standing ovation at the prestigious event, marking a moment that was truly special for the entire team.

‘Homebound’ Budget and Box Office

Homebound was reportedly made on a budget of INR 25-30 crore. Despite the critical acclaim and screenings at the Cannes Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival, the Ishaan Khatter starrer underperformed at the box office. According to Sacnilk, Homebound collected approximately INR 5.6 crore in India.

Watch the Trailer of ‘Homebound’:

‘Homebound’ Joins Global Cinematic Giants in Oscars 2026 Race

In the International Feature Film category, Homebound is now competing with some of this year's most celebrated international films, including Argentina's Belen, France's It Was Just an Accident, Germany's Sound of Falling, Japan's Kokuho, Iraq's The President's Cake, Taiwan's Left Handed Girl and South Korea's No Other Choice, among others. Oscars 2026: India’s Oscar Entry ‘Homebound’ Advances to Next Voting Round in International Feature Film Category at 98th Academy Awards (View Post).

‘Homebound’ OTT Update

Homebound, which released in theatres on September 26, 2025, was made available for global audiences via OTT on Netflix on November 21, 2025.

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Rating:5

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 07, 2026 03:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).