Karan Johar recently discussed the experience of supporting Homebound's Oscar campaign, which involved a hefty financial investment.
It’s worth mentioning here that the latest Bollywood movie got shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film award in December 2025.
During an interview with PeepingMoon and the Telly Talk podcast, the 53-year-old filmmaker revealed that his business partner, Adar Poonawalla, spared no expense while launching the Oscar campaign for the the Hindi-language drama film.
"We were doing Homebound," said the Koffee With Karan host said, adding, "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."
According to the prolific Indian filmmaker, whether one will even make it to the shortlist of 15 and then five, it is an uphill task.
For the director-filmmaker, Poonawalla did not view it as a financial risk, but as a valuable opportunity for a deserving film.
"You have to employ publicists, travel, create noise, do media interactions abroad, and hold screenings overseas," the filmmaker further explained, adding, "'But Adar said, âKaran, this is a great opportunity and a great film. Let's do everything in our capacity."
He added, "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,” in the end, Karan Johar said, adding, "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."
Released on September 26, 2025, Homebound stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor.
