`Bottomless pit`: Karan Johar on expensive Oscar campaign for Homebound

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, has made it to the shortlist for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. The makers are now hoping for a final nomination, and the team is pulling out all stops to lobby the film in the West. Karan Johar has shed light on how expensive campaigning for the Oscars can be, describing it as a “bottomless pit.”

Karan Johar on financing Oscar campaign for Homebound

In a chat with PeepingMoon and the Telly Talk podcast, Karan Johar spoke about Homebound making it to the Oscars shortlist. He revealed that his business partner, Adar Poonawalla, spared no expense while launching the Oscar campaign for the film, which stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor.

“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 five. It is an uphill task,” Karan said.

Karan added that Adar did not view it as a financial risk, but as a valuable opportunity for a deserving film.

The filmmaker further explained, “You have to employ publicists, travel, create noise, do media interactions abroad, and hold screenings overseas. 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.”

About Homebound

Homebound has received significant global acclaim, including premieres at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and Melbourne International Film Festival. With its recent Oscars shortlist, the film has achieved a rare milestone, becoming only the fifth Indian film to be shortlisted for Best International Feature Film in the 98-year history of the Academy Awards.

The film follows childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), whose shared dream of joining the police force shapes their lives, with Janhvi Kapoor adding emotional depth to a story rooted in friendship, duty, and the pressures faced by young India.

Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, Homebound is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, and Apoorva Mehta, and co-produced by Marijke de Souza and Melita Toscan du Plantier, with Martin Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar serving as executive producers.