Karan Johar and Neeraj Ghaywan's collaborative film 'Homebound' has achieved a significant milestone. The movie now sits among fifteen films shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards.
A Passion Project Takes Center Stage
Reflecting on this achievement, Karan Johar described 'Homebound' as a true passion project. He emphasized that financial gain was never the primary motivation behind its creation. This artistic drive remained his focus even after a major business shift within his production house.
Creative Control Amidst Business Change
Karan recently sold a fifty percent stake in Dharma Productions to businessman Adar Poonawalla. Despite this partnership, Johar maintains full creative leadership. In a candid conversation with PeepingMoon and Telly MEK, he praised his new partner's approach.
"Adar is one of the most gracious partners I could have ever dreamed of," Johar stated. "He is a missionary who thinks on a large scale. He took this decision to diversify and do something unusual. I am very much still the creative leader and the creative voice. He doesn't get into that. He doesn't interfere at all. He sees the larger picture and moves on."
The Oscar Campaign: A Calculated Risk
When discussing the Oscar campaign for 'Homebound,' Karan revealed an interesting dynamic. He explained that he had to be upfront with Adar Poonawalla about the potential costs involved in such an endeavor.
"I told him that doing an Oscar campaign will cost money, and sometimes it is a bottomless pit," Johar recalled. "You don't know what the end result will be. You don't know if you will even make it to the shortlist of fifteen, and then the final five. It is an uphill task."
Scale and Strategy of Awards Campaigns
Karan Johar outlined the immense effort required for a competitive Oscar push. The process involves hiring publicists, organizing international travel, generating media buzz, and conducting screenings abroad. It is a resource-intensive undertaking with no guaranteed outcome.
However, Adar Poonawalla's response was unequivocally supportive. "Adar said, 'Karan, this is a great opportunity and a great film. Let's do everything in our capacity,'" Johar shared. "'Let's not think of profit and loss on this one. Let's think of passion over any monetary benefit.' That's what we did. It is not a money-making exercise for us."
Credibility Over Commerce
For the team behind 'Homebound,' the Oscar journey represents something far greater than box office returns. Karan Johar framed it as an investment in credibility and artistic fulfillment.
"It is about credibility," he affirmed. "We will do other films for survival, but 'Homebound' was always a passion project. There is no monetary game in that film."
The Stark Reality of Oscar Campaign Financing
This perspective becomes even more striking when considering the typical financial landscape of awards season. The Indian government provides official support, offering one crore rupees to selected films for Oscar campaigning. While helpful, this amount covers only a fraction of the actual costs.
To understand the scale, one can look at recent history. Sean Baker's film 'Anora' won the Best Feature Film award at the 2025 Oscars. Reports indicate its awards campaign required a staggering investment of eighteen million dollars. That figure translates to approximately one hundred and sixty crore rupees.
This context highlights the significant commitment made by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla. They chose to back 'Homebound' based on belief in the project, not on a spreadsheet calculating potential returns. Their journey underscores a rare blend of business partnership and artistic ambition in the competitive world of cinema.
