India’s official entry for the 2027 Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, with the Film Federation of India (FFI) set to reveal the film selected for the Best International Feature category.
The announcement is scheduled for 2.30 pm at The Club in Mumbai. The selected film will become India’s official contender for the 99th Academy Awards, which will be held on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
What happened last year?
For the previous edition, the selection committee chose Homebound, a Hindi-language social drama directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. The film stars Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa and was selected from a field of 24 films submitted for consideration.
At the time, selection committee chairperson N Chandra spoke about the difficulty of choosing one film from the entries.
“It was a very difficult choice. These were films that touched the lives of people,” Chandra told NDTV.
He added: “We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark.”
Homebound had already featured at major international film festivals, including Cannes and Toronto, before being selected as India’s Oscar entry.
Story behind 'Homebound'
The film was inspired by Basharat Peer’s 2020 New York Times article, Taking Amrit Home. It follows two childhood friends from a small village in north India who pursue a police job in the hope of finding greater dignity and stability.
Produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla’s Dharma Productions, the film explored friendship, aspiration and social divisions against the backdrop of rural India.
Despite its international festival run and selection as India’s official entry, Homebound did not make the Oscars long list.
Oscars 2027 timeline
The 99th Academy Awards are scheduled for March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
India’s selection today will mark the beginning of the film’s journey towards the ceremony, with the chosen title entering the Academy’s Best International Feature consideration.
The FFI’s announcement will reveal which Indian film has been picked to carry the country’s hopes at the 2027 Oscars.