Mumbai, Sep 22 : Bollywood director and producer Karan Johar's 'Homebound' has been announced as India's official entry for the Oscars 2026.

The movie stars young Bollywood stars Jahnvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa. In a press conference held by the makers today, director Neeraj Ghaywan spoke about casting Jahnvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa in "Homebound" being a conscious decision. 'We had a story that we knew was powerful. If our goal was only to take the film to festivals like Cannes or TIFF, we were confident it would receive applause. But we also understood that if we wanted the movie to truly reach the audience and connect with people, we needed the support of stars like Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa." He further added, "That said, I want to emphasize that no matter what, the story will always remain the real king of any film.'

For the uninitiated, "Homebound" has been selected under the Best International Feature category at the Oscars 2026 as India's official entry. The movie has been produced by Dharma Productions.

Ever since the news was announced, fans and Bollywood stars took to their social media accounts to congratulate the entire Homebound team. Actress Janhvi Kapoor also took to her social media account to share her happiness and wrote, 'Every part of this film has been nothing short of a dream. The journey, the people, what this story means, and how personal it's been for everyone in our team. At every step I have been thankful I could witness this journey, which in my mind was truly the reward in itself.'

She added, 'Everything since has been a celebration of all these people that I love and respect so much, for their talent, their goodness, and their courage. @neeraj.ghaywan @karanjohar @vishaljethwa06 @ishaankhatter this movie and even its journey, has been about hope, in so many more ways than one would expect in cinemas on the 26th of September :)'

For the uninitiated, 'Homebound,' which premiered at the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2025, received a nine-minute-long standing ovation. It also premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF.

/IANS