As many as four Indian movies became eligible for consideration at the 98th Academy Awards. Here's all about the prize money and when and where to watch the show.
The 2026 Oscar race has officially heated up, with fans looking forward to the complete list of nominations announcement on January 22, 2026. Ahead of that, on January 9, 2026, the Academy revealed the Reminder List of 201 feature films eligible for consideration in the Best Picture category. Indian fans are over the moon as four of the nation's produced movies have secured spots among the 201 feature films eligible for consideration at the 98th Academy Awards. Here's what reward the Indian stars will be bringing home in case either of them manages to win the title.
As of January 9 2026, four Indian films have officially qualified for the Best Picture eligibility list for the 98th Academy Awards. Note that this is the Reminder List of Productions, which is a preliminary list of films that have met the Academy's strict theatrical and inclusion standards to be considered for a nomination. Final nominations will be announced on January 22, 2026. The eligible Indian films for the Best Picture category include Mahavatar Narsimha. It is a multilingual animated epic devotional action film directed by Ashwin Kumar, which is part of a planned cinematic universe.
The second name on the list is Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1, the Indian film that proved to be a commercial heavyweight in 2025. Directed by and starring Rishab Shetty, the prequel to the 2022 hit, Kantara, explores the 4th-century origins of Daiva worship in Tulunadu. The other two Indian films that made it to the Reminder List are Tanvi The Great and Tourist Family. Tanvi The Great is an inspirational movie directed by Anupam Kher. It follows an autistic young girl named 'Tanvi Raina' who is determined to fulfil her late father's dream of serving in the Indian Army.
Tourist Family is a Tamil-language production directed by first-time filmmaker, Abishan Jeevinth. With four Indian movies in the Best Picture category and a few others advancing in other categories, Indian cinema's global impact has been redefined. It is a moment of immense pride and honour for the Indians, who took to social media to express their joy.
Winners of the Best Picture award at the 2026 Oscars do not receive any direct cash prize from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Instead, the reward consists of the gold-plated bronze statuette and the professional prestige associated with the title. The golden trophy is valued at USD 1 (Rs. 90.15) under the Academy's regulations. Under the regulations, winners are prohibited from selling the Oscar statuette without first offering to sell it back to the Academy at the same price. The recipients of the award must sign a contract that binds them and their heirs to these rules.
Although they don't receive a cash prize, nominees in major categories often receive 'Everyone Wins' gift bags from marketing firms, valued at over USD 200,000 in recent years. Now, if we look at the benefits of winning an Oscar, the answer is a long-term boost in reputation. For actors and directors involved in the winning film, a Best Picture win typically leads to much higher paychecks for future projects, not to mention the prestige that accompanies the accolade.
The 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) are scheduled for Sunday, March 15, 2026. The ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles. For American viewers, the ceremony will air live on ABC from 6:00 p.m. ET to 9:00 a.m. RT. They can also stream it on Hulu. In India, the award show will be televised on Star Movies and Star Movies Select and will also stream live on the OTT platform, JioHotstar on March 16, 2026. The live broadcast in India will begin from 4:30 a.m. IST and conclude at 7:30 a.m. IST.
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