A day after Homebound was announced as India’s official entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category, its director, Neeraj Ghaywan, and the two lead actors,

Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, are still “in a state of disbelief”.

Ghaywan was working on the film’s trailer, ahead of its theatre release on September 26, Jethwa was driving, and Khattar was “flying, literally” when they got the news about Homebound’s selection. Earlier, one of the co-producers of the film, Karan Johar , called the announcement an unforgettable “pinch-me moment”.

The film — which chronicles the friendship and struggles of Chandan (Jethwa), a Dalit, and Shoaib (Khatter), a Muslim, who are determined to beat the odds to lead a better life — had its world premiere at the Cannes Fi

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