Following its triumph at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Vishal Jethwa’s film ‘Homebound’ has now earned a coveted spot as India’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards. Jethwa, who had previously expressed his hopes for the film’s Oscar journey in a conversation, is thrilled that his manifestation has come true.
“Whenever the media manifested something for me, it has always turned out to be true,” Jethwa shared, recalling similar instances in his career. “It happened when a journalist wished for me to work with my favourite actor Katrina Kaif (with whom he did Tiger 3), and now this. I want to thank the media for always standing by me.”
The actor described ‘Homebound’s trajectory as “monumental,” noting its impressive journey from Cannes to the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), TIFF, and now the Oscars. “When these names are associated with your film, it feels surreal. I still cannot process that this is happening. A lot has happened in the last fortnight itself,” he added.
Jethwa recounted the moment he heard the news, sharing it first with his mother. “I told my manager, ‘I want to share any big news with my mother first.’ My mom had called me a few minutes earlier, and I couldn’t talk to her then, so I understood it must be something big,” he explained. “So, I called her back, and then she shared the news with me first.”
After speaking with his mother, Jethwa connected with director Neeraj Ghaywan, producer Karan Johar, co-stars Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor, and casting director Shanoo Sharma, who gave him his big break. He reminisced about the early days of his career, including his first day at acting class and on set, even recalling an injury he sustained on the first day of testing for ‘Homebound’ where he had to walk with a cast on his foot.
As ‘Homebound’ marks a significant milestone for Jethwa, Khatter, and Kapoor, Jethwa expressed his happiness in sharing these moments with his co-stars. “This was the first time for all three of us going to a film festival with a film of ours. I was thinking that something has worked for us and all of our stars have aligned in some way with this film, and today we are here. I am so happy that I am sharing my dream with Ishaan and Janhvi. I feel like a child of God, that He has chosen me to play not just this character but to have this journey that may inspire someone too,” he said.
Looking ahead to the film’s theatrical release in India, Jethwa acknowledged the growing confidence coupled with the inevitable pre-release jitters. “The confidence is building up, but the nervousness will be there too till the film releases and we see how it connects to the people. I know our film is good and we have trust in it, but the anxiety of how the audience will receive it will always be there. I am enjoying that nervous excitement,” he concluded.