The Radhika Apte-starrer “Sister Midnight” has also met the criteria for Best Picture consideration.

Oscars 2026: 4 Indian Films Including Kantara and Tanvi The Great Eligible for Best Picture

Four Indian films, including the Kannada blockbuster “Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1” and Anupam Kher’s directorial “Tanvi The Great”, are among the 201 feature films eligible to compete for the Best Picture award at Oscars 2026. On Thursday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced this as part of its “Reminder List of Productions Eligible for the 98th Academy Awards”.

The other Indian productions on the eligibility list are the multilingual animated feature “Mahavatar Narsimha” and the Tamil title “Tourist Family” by first-time filmmaker Abishan Jeevinth. Additionally, the Radhika Apte-starrer “Sister Midnight”, a Hindi-language UK-India co-production, has also met the criteria for Best Picture consideration. 

Inclusion in this list is a preliminary step before the official nominations are announced on January 22.

The Academy clarified that while 317 feature films are eligible for the 98th Academy Awards overall, only 201 meet the strict additional requirements for the Best Picture category. This includes fulfilling specific theatrical runs in major US metropolitan areas and meeting Representation and Inclusion Standards. 

Notably, Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Homebound” remains India’s official entry in the Best International Feature Film segment and has already been shortlisted among 15 films in that category.

 The 98th Oscars ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 15. While eligibility does not guarantee a nomination, this is a significant achievement for Indian cinema on the global stage as voting begins.

Source: The Tribune