Good news for Indian cinema has emerged ahead of the 98th Academy Awards. Four Indian films have been confirmed as eligible for consideration in the coveted Best Film category for Oscar 2026. This significant development was officially announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which released its “Reminder List of Production Eligible” on Thursday.
Indian Cinema’s Oscar Aspirations
Among the Indian films currently vying for a nomination in the Best Film category are:
- Rishab Shetty’s ‘Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1’
- Anupam Kher’s ‘Tanvi The Great’
- The multilingual animated film ‘Mahavatar Narasimha’
- The Tamil film ‘Tourist Family’, directed by Abishaan Jeevinth in his debut
Additionally, the Hindi language film ‘Sister Midnight’, a joint production between the UK and India starring Radhika Apte, has also secured a place on this esteemed eligibility list. A total of 201 films are competing for the Best Film award, making for a highly competitive field.
Path to Nomination and Ceremony Details
The Academy has clarified that 317 feature films in total are eligible for the 98th Academy Awards, with 201 specifically meeting the additional criteria required for Best Film consideration. Inclusion on the Reminder List indicates eligibility, but it does not guarantee a nomination. Films must successfully navigate the Academy’s subsequent voting processes.
To qualify for general entry, films needed to have been screened for at least seven consecutive days in one of six major U.S. metropolitan areas—Los Angeles County, New York City, the Bay Area, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Atlanta—between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Furthermore, films aspiring for Best Film consideration are required to submit a confidential Academy Representation and Inclusion Standard Entry (RAISE) form and fulfill at least two of the Academy’s four Inclusion Standards.
The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards are slated for announcement on January 22. The grand 98th Oscar ceremony is scheduled for March 15, where awards will be presented across 24 categories. The Best Film category will feature 10 nominations, while all other categories will announce five nominees each.
Separately, Neeraj Ghaywan’s film ‘Homebound’, India’s official entry for this year’s Academy Awards, was short-listed among 15 films in the International Feature Film category in December 2025, highlighting further Indian representation.
