'Homebound' writer REACTS to 2026 Academy Award nomination snub; says, 'Oscar campaign is hard and very, very expensive'

Neeraj Ghaywan's 'Homebound' has been snubbed from the Oscars 2026 race. Though the film team campaigned for the Academy Award nomination, the movie couldn't make it to the list. And now, the film's writer, Sumit Roy, expressed his thoughts about the film not getting nominated in the award ceremony. Let's learn more about what he has to say.

'Homebound' writer talks about film getting snubbed at Oscars 2026

In an interview with the Hindustan Times, writer Sumit Roy expressed, "Running an Oscar campaign is hard, complicated, and very, very expensive—sometimes the cost of the campaign is more than the film. It’s always going to be an uphill battle for most Indian films. But I have to say Karan and Dharma have done a terrific job, moved heaven and earth to get us the best chance possible!"




The writer further shared that he doesn't think they could have done anything more than what they have. Roy added that in the international competition, a film is competing against around 90 of the best movies around the world.

Explaining the process further, he added that the first challenge is to get the attention of the Academy voters and make them watch the film to secure votes. He stated that running the film at festivals becomes handy to create buzz around the film.

He went on to express that getting nominated in global award shows helps open up Indian cinema to more people worldwide. The writer added that the Indian film industry needs more producers, filmmakers, and actors to support such ventures.

More about 'Homebound'

Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the movie features Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor. The movie first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025. Later, it was released in theaters in September 2025.

Backed by Karan Johar, Hollywood's legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese was the executive producer of the movie. The film was India's official entry for the nomination race in the Best International Feature Film category.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”