The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards on Thursday, bringing an end to India’s hopeful run in the Best International Feature Film category. Neeraj Ghaywan’s acclaimed drama Homebound failed to secure a spot in the final list of five nominees, despite having advanced to the 15-film shortlist in December. Oscars 2026 Nominations Full List: Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet Compete for Best Actor; India’s ‘Homebound’ Misses Out.

The selected nominees for Best International Feature Film include Brazil’s The Secret Agent, France’s It Was Just an Accident, Norway’s Sentimental Value, Spain’s Sirat, and Tunisia’s The Voice of Hind Rajab.

India’s ‘Homebound’ out of ‘Oscars 2026’ Race

Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, Homebound entered the Oscar race with significant momentum. The film, which explores the lives of two friends navigating social and economic hurdles in a North Indian village during the pandemic, premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival to a nine-minute standing ovation.

Oscars 2026 Nominations for International Feature Film

Going global with this year's nominees for International Feature Film. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/NaKlw64YgR

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 22, 2026

With Hollywood veteran Martin Scorsese serving as an executive producer and backing from major studios like Dharma Productions, the film was widely considered a strong contender. However, its exclusion from the final five continues a long-standing dry spell for Indian cinema in this specific category.

India’s International Feature Film Nomination History

The miss for Homebound means that India has still only seen three films reach the final nomination stage in the history of the International Feature Film category (formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film). ‘Homebound’ Movie Review: Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa Are Incredible in Neeraj Ghaywan’s Heart-Wrenching Portrait of Friendship and Survival (LatestLY Exclusive).

‘Mother India’ (1957)

The first Indian film to ever receive an Oscar nomination, Mehboob Khan’s Mother India is a seminal work of Indian cinema. Starring Nargis as Radha, a poverty-stricken village woman raising her sons against all odds, the film became a symbol of the newly independent nation’s resilience. It famously lost the Oscar to Federico Fellini's Nights of Cabiria by a single vote.

‘Salaam Bombay!’ (1988)

Directed by Mira Nair, this gritty and empathetic drama was the second Indian film to earn a spot in the final five. The movie used real street children to tell the story of Krishna, a young boy struggling to survive in the slums of Mumbai. Its raw, documentary-style approach earned it the Camera d'Or at Cannes before its historic Oscar run.

‘Lagaan’ (2001) 

The last Indian film to be nominated in this category was Ashutosh Gowariker’s sports epic Lagaan. Starring Aamir Khan, the film combined the high stakes of a cricket match with a rebellion against British colonial tax (Lagaan). Its global success remains a benchmark for Indian film campaigns in Hollywood, though it ultimately lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s No Man's Land. Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani’s Dadasaheb Phalke Biopic To Be Delayed to March 2026? Here’s What We Know.

When Are the Oscars 2026?

While the International Feature dream has ended for 2026, other Indian titles remain in the conversation for technical honours and general categories. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with Conan O’Brien serving as host.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 22, 2026 08:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).