The Hindi film Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, has been selected as India's official entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category. The selection was announced by N Chandra, the chairperson of the selection committee, at a press conference in Kolkata.

Homebound tells the story of two childhood friends from a small North Indian village who aspire to secure a police job, believing it will provide them with the dignity they have long been denied. The film stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor in lead roles.

Karan Johar has described Homebound as a "labor of love". Neeraj Ghaywan stated that representing India on a global stage was both “humbling and a matter of pride”.

N Chandra, chairperson of the selection committee, said that the selection process was very difficult, with a total of 24 films in various languages being considered. Chandra stated, "It was a very difficult choice. These were films that touched the lives of people," and added, "We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark". The 12-member selection committee comprised producers, directors, writers, editors, and journalists.

Janhvi Kapoor reflected on her experience working on Homebound, sharing that she never approached it as a career milestone or a way to gain recognition. She felt the project was larger than individual achievements. According to Janhvi, during the filming, there was a collective sense that they were trying to create something bigger than themselves. She recounted the experience of the film playing at Cannes, stating that it felt like they had moved people and inspired them to be more empathetic.