India’s official entry to the Oscars 2026, Homebound, is all set for its theatrical release in India. However, some latest reports suggest that the film has faced a tough time while clearing the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) ahead of its release in India. The film has received as many as 11 cuts before clearing the certificate.
Final cuts in Homebound
A recent report by Bollywood Hungama claimed that Homebound was referred to the Revising Committee (RC), seemingly after the Examining Committee (EC) had asked for several cuts. Following this, the RC asked for several modifications in the movie. According to reports, the Revising Committee muted and replaced certain words at as many as six places in the movie. It also asked the makers to get rid of the dialogue ‘Aloo gobhi…khaate hai’. Additionally, a two-second visual of a man performing puja was censored. The word ‘gyaan’ was also replaced in the final cut of the film.
The Revising Committee also changed a dialogue during the crucial cricket match scene at 1 hour and 4 minutes. Additionally, 32 seconds of footage have also been reportedly deleted by the CBFC in this particular sequence. That being said, the details about what these now-deleted scenes presented are not known.
Overall, the CBFC’s RC has also censored 1 minute and 17 seconds of the footage from the film. Once the changes were made, the film was reportedly passed with a U/A 16+ certificate on September 12.
Homebound becomes India’s official entry for the Oscars
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, Homebound has already made big waves globally. The film was screened at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). Additionally, the film was announced as India’s official entry for the 2026 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category recently.
Following the announcement, producer Karan Johar issued a statement and expressed gratitude, saying, “We are deeply honoured and humbled that Homebound has been selected as India’s official entry to the Academy Awards… Neeraj Ghaywan’s labour of love is sure to a find a home in a million hearts across the world.”
Director Neeraj Ghaywan also expressed his happiness, saying, “I’m deeply honoured that Homebound has been chosen as India’s official entry to the Oscars. Rooted in the love for our land and our people, it carries the essence of the home we all share. To take our stories to the world and represent India at one of the biggest global stages for cinema is both humbling and a matter of pride, and for this I’m deeply grateful.”
