Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound, a Hindi-language drama, has been selected as India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards. The film is slated for theatrical release on September 26, 2025.

Plot:

Homebound is inspired by a 2020 New York Times article titled "Taking Amrit Home" by Basharat Peer. The film revolves around two childhood friends from a marginalized community in a small village in North India. Chandan Kumar Valmiki and Mohammed Shoaib Ali dream of becoming police officers, hoping the job will bring them the dignity and social status they have long been denied. As they inch closer to their goal, they struggle against deeply embedded caste and religious prejudices in society. Mounting pressure and the harsh realities of the COVID-19 pandemic threaten their bond.

Cast:

The film features a star-studded cast, including:

• Vishal Jethwa as Chandan Kumar.
• Ishaan Khatter as Mohammed Shoaib Ali.
• Janhvi Kapoor as Sudha Bharti.
• Harshika Parmar as Vaishali, Chandan's sister.
• Shalini Vatsa as Phool, Chandan's mother.
• Chandan K Anand as Haroon Nawaz.

Production:

Homebound is directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, known for his acclaimed debut film Masaan. The screenplay is written by Neeraj Ghaywan, Varun Grover, and Shreedhar Dubey. The film is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra, with Martin Scorsese serving as executive producer.

Ghaywan drew inspiration from Basharat Peer's New York Times article, which tells the story of two young migrant workers caught in the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. Dharma Productions bought the rights to the article and developed the script, fictionalizing the backstories of the protagonists while retaining the essence of the original story. Martin Scorsese, who boarded the project as an executive producer, helped Ghaywan in crafting the screenplay and during the editing process.

Release and Reception:

Homebound premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category. It received a nine-minute standing ovation at Cannes and was named second runner-up for the International People's Choice Award at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), earning another standing ovation. The film is scheduled to be released in theaters on September 26, 2025.

Homebound has already garnered international acclaim for its emotional depth and sensitive storytelling. Director Neeraj Ghaywan described the film as "a deeply personal story about friendship, dignity, and survival".