India, Nov. 21 -- T he Oscar campaign for Homebound has begun in the US, with the film recently screened there as part of its awards push. Filmmaker Kiran Rao, whose Laapataa Ladies was India's official entry last year, says she is glad to see another small-town story, this time directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, representing the country. Asked why such intimate, rooted narratives often get selected, Kiran says, "Big commercial cinema has moved away from stories of our villages, our small towns, the struggles of farmers and the working class. Over the years, juries have chosen these films because they feel like a more authentic representation of the broader masses in this country." She adds that these filmsstand out because they explore spaces mainstream cinema rarely visits: "It helps people discover the many kinds of cinema and many kinds of India that exist at the same time." Despite global acclaim, such films rarely succeed at the Indian box office. Rao attributes this to changing viewing habits: "People go to the theatre less and less. They need a very strong reason now, especially when films arrive on streaming in eight weeks. Marketing, pressure, word-of-mouth... these things matter more than ever." She adds that unfamiliar faces also make audiences hesitate. "When you have new actors like Lakshya in Kill or my cast in Laapataa Ladies, the pressure to go sample a film in a cinema can feel inconvenient. It's expensive for a family today. That's why people wait to hear if a film is worth going for, because it's a financial and convenience decision," she says....