In a landmark moment for Indian cinema, five feature films have officially entered contention for the 2026 Academy Awards, marking one of the strongest representations from India in recent years. The films include Paro (Hindi), Dashavatar (Marathi), Mahamantra – The Great Chant (English), Tourist Family (Tamil), and Gevi (Tamil).
Notably, Tourist Family is also being considered in the prestigious Best Picture category, positioning it among the global field competing for Hollywood’s highest honour. The five films are eligible across multiple general categories, including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Producer, Best Original Screenplay, Production Design, Cinematography, and Editing, among others.
Beyond the feature films, Indywood facilitated the submission of two other notable works in specialised Oscar categories: Leading Light by Diya Suriya, entered as a Short Documentary, and Mahamantra, submitted for Documentary Feature consideration. Both titles successfully completed the qualification process, expanding the scope of Indian representation beyond narrative cinema.
This achievement is part of Indywood Entertainment Consortium’s broader Indo-global vision. The consortium provides filmmakers with guidance and support throughout the complex Academy submission process, covering compliance, documentation, marketing strategy, and international positioning. These efforts also enhance the visibility of Indian films among Academy voters, festival selectors, and global distributors.
Over the past decade, Indywood has cultivated relationships with film councils, media, and international industry bodies to improve the global reach of Indian films. This sustained initiative has made Oscar contention a realistic pathway for both mainstream and independent Indian filmmakers.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Sir Sohan Roy, founder of Indywood Entertainment Consortium, said, “Indywood is proud to bring a spectrum of Indian stories to the world stage. This year’s submissions reflect the creativity and ambition of our filmmakers. The Academy’s consideration is a testament to the dedication of our cast, crew, and production teams.”
Collectively, these films highlight the richness of India’s multilingual cinema and encourage further creative ventures aimed at international audiences. Indywood has previously represented more than 65 Indian films at the Oscars and other top global festivals, including titles like Jai Bhim (Tamil), Marakkar: The Lion of Arabian Sea (Malayalam), Kayamkulam Kochunni (Malayalam), and Touring Talkies (Marathi), among many others.
Other Indian films contending for Oscars this year include Sister Midnight, Homebound, Papa Buka, Kantara Chapter 1, Mahavatar Narsimha, and Tanvi the Great. Oscar nominations voting runs from January 12 to 16, 2026, with the official announcement scheduled for January 22, 2026
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