KJO on supporting Homebound’s expensive Oscar push by Adar Poonawalla: It was a bottomless pit
Karan Johar reveals how business partner Adar Poonawala left no stone unturned when he launched the Oscar campaign for his film Homebound. The director called his business partner a “missionary”.
Even after selling 50 per cent stake in the company to entrepreneur Adar Poonawala, filmmaker Karan Johar calls himself the key creative force at Dharma Productions. Recently in an interview, Johar had mentioned the expensive Oscar campaign. homebound Despite being told it was “a low pit”, Adar agreed without any apprehension.
The 53-year-old addressed concerns over creative control at Dharma Productions. KJO spoke calling Adar a ‘missionary’ peepingmoon And tele mek. She added, “Adar is one of the kindest partners I could have ever dreamed of. He’s a missionary, he thinks big. He made this decision to diversify and do something unusual. I’m still the creative leader and the creative voice. He doesn’t get involved. He doesn’t interfere at all. He’ll see the bigger picture and move on.”
Johar talked about his initial concerns about the financial demands of running an Oscar campaign for the film homebound. This film is one of the 15 films Shortlisted in the Best International Feature Film categorySelected from among 89 official entries submitted by countries around the world – which makes this recognition especially significant.
The director said that Aadar told him to “put passion above money”, adding, “We were doing that.” homebound. I told them that doing an Oscar campaign costs money, and sometimes that’s a bottomless pit. Because you don’t know what the end result will be, and whether you will be able to make it to the shortlist of 15 and then even 5 or not. It’s a tough job.”
my name is khan The director described comprehensive effort It is necessary for such a campaign. He explained the process and revealed, “You have to hire publicists and travel, create noise and have media abroad and screenings abroad.”
Johar further added, “But Aadar said, ‘Karan, it’s a great opportunity and a great film, let’s do everything in our capacity. Let’s not think about profit and loss on this. Let’s think about the passion more than any monetary gain.’ homebound It was always a passion project. There is no money game in that film.”
What is homebound?
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, homebound Deeply rooted in the Indian landscape and faces caste and religion-based discrimination. Basically, the film tells the story of two best friends from the same village and their journey to find their identity. The film explores themes of systemic inequality, resilience, and hope in the face of adversity.
The film stars Ishaan Khattar and Vishal Jethwa, with Janhvi Kapoor playing an important role. The film was previously screened at the Cannes International Film Festival last year, where it received a standing ovation.
All about the cost of an Oscar film campaign
An official entry from India receives a grant of Rs 1 crore from the government to support its Oscar bid. However, this amount is usually a fraction of the amount required. For example, Sean Baker’s Anora, which won Best Feature Film at the 2025 Oscars, reportedly spent $18 million (roughly Rs. 160 crores) on its campaign, highlighting the scale and competitiveness of such efforts.
The final nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be announced on January 22.