Mahavatar Narasimha: India’s Animated Epic Qualifies for Oscars 2026 – A Historic First for the Nation!

By Hindutone Staff | November 24, 2025

In a groundbreaking moment for Indian animation and Hindu storytelling on the world stage, Mahavatar Narasimha — the breathtaking 2D–3D animated film — has officially qualified for the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) in the Best Animated Feature Film category. Among 35 global contenders, this visually rich epic now stands poised to potentially become India’s first-ever animated film to secure a nomination in the category.

Directed by visionary filmmaker Ashwin Kumar, the film reimagines the fierce and divine fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu — Narasimha, the half-man, half-lion protector — through a spectacular retelling of the Bhagavata Purana. The story follows young Prahlada, a child of unwavering devotion, whose faith in Vishnu enrages his tyrant father, Hiranyakashipu. Armed with near-immortality, the demon king unleashes torment upon his son, only to be undone when Vishnu manifests as Narasimha at twilight — neither day nor night, neither indoors nor outdoors — delivering justice and restoring dharma in one of mythology’s most spine-chilling moments.

The film’s blend of traditional Indian artistry and cutting-edge VFX brings this legendary showdown alive with explosive intensity and devotional depth.

---

Triumph of Passion, Innovation & Dharma

Presented by Hombale Films and backed by Kleem Productions, Mahavatar Narasimha was produced by Shilpa Dhawan, Kushal Desai, and Chaitanya Desai, with a powerful screenplay by Jayapurna Das and Rudra Pratap Ghosh. Composer Sam C.S. enriches the experience with a thunderous, chant-infused original score.

Despite being made on a modest budget of ₹40 crore, the film stunned the industry with an astonishing ₹300+ crore global collection, surpassing giants like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Frozen 2. It recorded a phenomenal 9.8/10 on BookMyShow and 5/5 on Google, with ticketing servers crashing from overwhelming demand — a clear reflection of global interest in authentic Hindu epics.

Director Ashwin Kumar noted:

“The Mahavatar franchise will be an answer to them. We’re hitting milestones for Indian audiences and the diaspora. We may not have huge budgets yet, but India has the power of jugaad — we figure things out. By the seventh film, we will be world-class.”

The film comfortably met all Academy criteria — including 75% animation, over 40 minutes runtime, and a U.S. theatrical qualification run — before streaming exclusively on Netflix.

---

A Global Contest of Titans

Competing alongside animation giants, Mahavatar Narasimha now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with:

• Disney’s Zootopia 2 and Elio
• Sony/Crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
• Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc
• Netflix’s In Your Dreams
• The much-discussed KPop Demon Hunters

Interestingly, China’s highly anticipated Ne Zha 2 is absent from this year’s race — subtly boosting India’s prospects.

Under the Academy’s updated rules, the film is also eligible for Best International Feature, widening its Oscar ambitions.

---

The Dawn of the Mahavatar Cinematic Universe

This is just the beginning. Mahavatar Narasimha marks the first chapter of a grand 12-year cinematic odyssey covering all ten avatars of Lord Vishnu:

• Mahavatar Parashuram – 2027
• Mahavatar Raghunandan – 2029
• Mahavatar Dwarkadhish – 2031
• Mahavatar Gokulananda – 2033
• Mahavatar Kalki (Part 1 & 2) – 2035–2037

A full-fledged Mahavatar Cinematic Universe (MCU – Indian Edition!) is now in motion.

---

Oscar Countdown Begins

As the Oscar nominations approach on January 22, 2026, and the ceremony lights up the Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, the world waits to see whether the roar of Narasimha will echo across Hollywood’s biggest night.

For now, the qualification itself stands as a proud declaration:
Indian dharma-driven storytelling, powered by creativity and grit, is ready to claim its rightful place on the global stage.

---

Hindutone celebrates this divine achievement. May Lord Narasimha’s ugra veerya inspire countless more victories!

Watch Mahavatar Narasimha now streaming on Netflix.

Tags: Mahavatar Narasimha, Oscars 2026, Indian Animation, Hindu Mythology, Vishnu Avatars, Hombale Films, Animated Feature, Hindu Cinema, Ashwin Kumar