Mahavatar Narsimha by Hombale Films is stirring up a storm worldwide, as it has now been nominated for the 2026 Oscars for Best Animated Feature Film. The film celebrates Hindu mythology. The movie tells the story of a young boy, Prahlada, and his devotion to Vishnu, the god of his demon father, Hiranyakashipu, the tyrant king of the land where he lived. When the king’s violence reached its peak, Vishnu took the avatar of Narasimha, the fierce half-man, half-lion god, to balance the situation.
Among the 35 contenders, including Hollywood giants like The Bad Guys 2, Zootopia 2, and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, a final nomination would mark a historic first for Indian animation. Having made a staggering Rs 300 crore plus globally, the film had its Indian release on July 25, 2025, followed by the screenings in Sri Lanka, Australia, Malaysia, and Europe from July 31.
Mahavatar Narsimha is produced by Shilpa Dhawan, Kushal Desai, and Chaitanya Desai, under the banner of Kleem Productions. The film features an original score by Sam CS and a screenplay by Jayapurna Das and Rudra Pratap Ghosh. This series depicts the ten incarnations of Vishnu through animated films released from 2025 to 2037, starting with Mahavatar Parashuram in 2027.
Last year’s Oscar winner, Flow from Latvia, sets a formidable standard. However, the cultural impact and financial success of Narsimha made it well worth being the first Indian film to open the way in world cinematography.
