By News18,Shachi Chaturvedi

Copyright news18

After Homebound’s win at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the movie, starring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa, has now become India’s official submission to the Oscars. The makers of the film hosted a grand press meet today, where Ishaan Khatter spoke about how social awareness has changed a lot for him.
While interacting with the media, the actor shared, “For me, the biggest change has been in social awareness because I feel that it is not enough to just have good intentions. I believe that if you are part of this society and if you are privileged enough to be able to make people aware in some way, then it is your responsibility to stay socially aware, and I have learned this from Neeraj bhai. He could use his platform purely for entertainment, but he doesn’t.”
“If he is saying something in his film, then you can be sure that he has contributed in real life as well, and I believe that is a beautiful thing. The director of my first film told me that if you want to become a good actor, first become a good human being; everything else will follow. You do not have to be an Anglomaniac to be able to do this job. Now I try to be as socially aware as I can,” the actor further added.
Homebound is India’s official entry to the Oscars
The Film Federation of India (FFI), the body responsible for selecting the country’s official entry, confirmed the decision on Friday, news agency PTI reported. With this selection, Homebound will compete alongside submissions from more than 100 nations for a nomination at next year’s Academy Awards.
So far, only three Indian films—Mother India (1958), Salaam Bombay! (1989), and Lagaan (2002)—have secured nominations in this category. None has gone on to win. India’s Oscar triumphs have instead come in open categories, most recently with RRR winning two awards in 2023.
Though yet to be released in India, Homebound has already made a mark internationally. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it received a standing ovation. It later travelled to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, finishing as the second runner-up in the prestigious International People’s Choice Award category.