Mahavatar Narsimha makes it to the Oscar long-list for consideration in the animated feature film category
Mahavatar Narsimha is one of 35 animated features vying for an award at the 98th Academy Awards to be held on March 16. The shortlist is expected to be announced on December 16
Last Updated: 01.39 PM, Nov 22, 2025
Mahavatar Narsimha, the blockbuster animated mythological feature by director Ashwin Kumar, which chronicles two of lord Vishnu’s avatars – Varaha and Narsimha – is eligible for consideration at the 98th Academy Awards in the animated feature film category. The film completed the eligibility criteria of public exhibition on paid admission in a commercial motion picture theatre in one of the six qualifying US metro areas: Los Angeles County; City of New York [five boroughs]; the Bay Area [counties of San Francisco, Marin Alameda, San Mateo and Contra Costa]; Chicago [Cook County, Illinois]; Dallas-Fort Worth [Dallas County, Tarrant County, Texas]; and Atlanta [Fulton, Georgia], for a run of at least seven consecutive days and three screenings in a day, one of which had to be between 6 pm and 10 pm.
The eligibility rule also mandates that the seven consecutive days of the theatrical release are required to occur in one venue. The motion picture must be advertised during its qualifying theatrical release in a manner normal and customary to theatrical feature distribution practices and may receive movie critic reviews. Mahavatar Narsimha is now part of 35 titles that have made the cut for consideration. Made at a budget of around Rs 40 cr, the film had a phenomenal theatrical run in India, grossing over Rs 325 cr. Subsequently, the film made its way to OTT and is available to stream on Netflix.
Since the list of eligible films in the animated category came out, there’s been a flurry of predictions about the 10 that are likely to make the shortlist. KPop Demon Hunters is the favourite to win in the category, amid competition from the likes of films like Zootopia 2, Elio, In Your Dreams, Little Amelie or the Character of the Rain, Ne Zha 2 and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, among many others. Does Mahavatar Narsimha stand a chance given it is the first of a 7-film franchise and the animation not at par with the work in most of the other long-list titles.
FULL LIST OF ELIGIBLE FILMS IN THE ANIMATED FEATURE CATEOGORY
| Arco The Bad Guys 2 Black Butterflies Boys Go to Jupiter Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc ChaO Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing David Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle Dog Man Dog of God Dragon Heart – Adventures Beyond This World Elio Endless Cookie Fixed Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie In Your Dreams KPop Demon Hunters The Legend of Hei 2 Light of the World Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Lost in Starlight A Magnificent Life Mahavatar Narsimha Night of the Zoopocalypse Olivia & las Nubes 100 Meters Out of the Nest Scarlet Slide The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Stitch Head The Twits Zootopia 2 |
FAQs
Q. What is the Mahavatar series?
A. It is a proposed 7-film series, focusing on the avatars of Lord Vishnu. The first in the series was Mahavatar Narsimha. Up next is Mahavatar Parshuram.
Q. Who has made the Mahavatar Narsimha film?
A. Written and conceptualized by Ashwin Kumar, under his home banner, in association with the makers of KGF and Kantara.
Q. Where can I see Mahavatar Narsimha on OTT?
A. Mahavatar Narsimha ended a successful 50-day theatrical run and is headed to Netflix, where it begins streaming on September 19 at 12.30 pm.