Several Indian Films Make It To Oscar Eligibility List
India-West News Desk
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has said it has released its official reminder list of productions eligible for consideration at the 98th Academy Awards, marking the stage that precedes the announcement of Oscar nominations later this month.
According to the Academy, four Indian titles are among the 201 feature films that meet the additional requirements to compete for the Best Picture award at Oscars 2026. The Indian films on this list are Rishabh Shetty’s Kannada blockbuster ‘Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1’, Anupam Kher’s Hindi directorial ‘Tanvi The Great’, the multilingual animated feature ‘Mahavatar Narsimha’, and the Tamil film ‘Tourist Family’ by first time filmmaker Abishan Jeevinth. Also included is ‘Sister Midnight’, a Hindi language UK India co production starring Radhika Apte.
The Academy noted that while 317 feature films are eligible for the 98th Oscars across general categories, only 201 of them have fulfilled the extra criteria required for Best Picture consideration. The reminder list is an administrative step that confirms eligibility but does not imply that a film has been nominated.
Beyond the Best Picture contenders, several other Indian films and co productions appear on the Academy’s broader general entry list, making them eligible for consideration in various categories. These include Neeraj Ghaywan’s ‘Homebound’, which is India’s official submission for the International Feature Film category, along with titles such as the Marathi film ‘Dashavatar’, the Tamil film ‘Gevi’, the independent feature ‘Humans in the Loop’, the docu drama ‘Mahamantra – The Great Chant’, ‘Papa Buka’, a co production between India and Papua New Guinea, ‘Paper Flowers’, and ‘Paro: The Untold Story of Bride Slavery’.
The Academy has emphasized that inclusion on the reminder list does not guarantee a nomination. All eligible films must still go through the Academy’s voting process. To qualify for general categories, a feature film must have screened in a commercial theatre for at least seven consecutive days in one of six designated US metropolitan areas between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Best Picture contenders must also submit a confidential Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry form and meet at least two of the Academy’s four inclusion standards, along with expanded theatrical run requirements across major US markets.
The Academy has already released shortlists for 12 categories, including International Feature Film, with ‘Homebound’ making it to the final list of 15 shortlisted titles in that category.
The 98th Academy Awards will be held on March 15, when Oscars will be presented in 24 categories. Most categories will feature five nominees, while Best Picture will have ten.
