Four Indian films have made the eligibility list for the 98th Academy Awards, highlighting the growing recognition of Indian cinema on the global stage.
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released its official reminder list of productions eligible for consideration at the 98th Academy Awards. This announcement precedes the announcement of Oscar nominations later this month.
Among the 201 feature films that meet the additional requirements for the Best Picture award at the Oscars, four Indian titles have made the cut. These films include Rishabh Shetty’s Kannada blockbuster, Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1, Anupam Kher’s Hindi directorial debut, Tanvi The Great, the multilingual animated feature Mahavatar Narsimha, and the Tamil film Tourist Family, directed by first-time filmmaker Abishan Jeevinth. Additionally, the Hindi-language UK-India co-production Sister Midnight, featuring Radhika Apte, is also included in this list.
The Academy has noted that while 317 feature films are eligible for the 98th Oscars across various categories, only 201 have met the extra criteria necessary for Best Picture consideration. It is important to clarify that this reminder list serves as an administrative step to confirm eligibility but does not imply that any film has been nominated.
In addition to 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. Notably, Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound is India’s official submission for the International Feature Film category. Other titles include the Marathi film Dashavatar, the Tamil film Gevi, the independent feature Humans in the Loop, the docudrama Mahamantra – The Great Chant, the co-production Papa Buka 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 undergo the Academy’s voting process. To qualify for general categories, a feature film must have screened in a commercial theater for at least seven consecutive days in one of six designated U.S. metropolitan areas between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Furthermore, Best Picture contenders must 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 U.S. markets.
As part of its ongoing efforts to recognize diverse storytelling, the Academy has already released shortlists for 12 categories, including International Feature Film, where Homebound has made it to the final list of 15 shortlisted titles.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 15, where Oscars will be presented in 24 categories. Most categories will feature five nominees, while the Best Picture category will have ten nominees.
For further details, refer to India West.