Karan Johar calls Oscar campaign for Homebound ‘a bottomless pit’, adds money was not a driving force behind it

The news of Neeraj Ghaywan’s directorial Homebound being shortlisted in the Top 15 films in the Best International Feature category at the 98th Academy Awards may have been welcomed by fans of the film, but producer Karan Johar has admitted that the film’s campaigning at the Oscars is an expensive affair, which feels like a ‘bottomless pit’. Karan described the film as a ‘passion project’ and added that money was never a driving force behind it.

Expensive Oscar campaign

For every film to make it to the top 5 nominees list, there has to be an extensive campaign around the films, months in advance. Karan appeared on a podcast with PeepingMoon and Telly MEK on YouTube and spoke about Homebound’s Oscar run. KJo said that his business partner Adar Poonawalla has spared no expense while launching the Oscar campaign for their film Homebound, which stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor.

Karan said Adar wasn’t concerned about the money spent on the film’s Oscar campaign, as they saw it as an opportunity rather than a risky financial bet.

“We were doing Homebound. I told him that doing an Oscar campaign will cost money, and sometimes it is a bottomless pit. Because you don’t know what the end result will be, and whether you will even make it to the shortlist of 15 and then 5. It is an uphill task,” Karan admitted.

“You have to employ publicists and travel and make noise and do media abroad and screenings abroad. But Adar said Karan, this is a great opportunity and a great film, let’s do everything in our capacity. 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. It is about credibility. We will do other films for survival, but Homebound was always a passion project. There is no monetary game in that film.”

Homebound is Oscar bound

Director Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, has been shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. It is India’s official entry to the Oscars this year. The final nominations will be announced on January 22. 2026.

Comedian Conan O’Brien will return to host the 98th Academy Awards, which will be held on March 15.

Homebound has been well-received by the international audience this past year after it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2025.

Also see: Mrs, Sitaare Zameen Par, Homebound: The best Hindi films of 2025 and where to watch them

Homebound follows childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), whose shared dream of joining the police force is disrupted after the government announces a lockdown due to COVID-19 in 2020.

Homebound is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra and co-produced by Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier, along with Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar acting as the Executive Producers.