Neeraj Ghaywan's film Homebound, an Indian Hindi-language drama, premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival to widespread acclaim, yet its journey in its home country has been complex. The film, co-authored by Ghaywan and Sumit Roy, with Martin Scorsese as an Executive Producer, was showcased in the Un Certain Regard section of the festival. The premiere culminated in a nine-minute standing ovation, a testament to its emotional depth and compelling narrative.

Homebound tells the story of two childhood friends from a small village in North India, Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), who aspire to join the police force, seeking dignity and a way out of their circumstances. Janhvi Kapoor also stars in the film as Chandan's classmate. The film explores themes of friendship, duty, and the pressures faced by young Indians due to societal and economic issues. As they inch closer to their dream, mounting desperation threatens their bond.

The premiere at the Debussy Theatre was attended by Ghaywan, the star cast, producer Karan Johar, and others from Dharma Productions. Videos captured the emotional responses of the cast and crew to the audience's enthusiastic reception. Ishaan Khatter expressed his pleasure in working with Ghaywan, emphasizing the film's honest and sincere effort to connect with a human heart. Vishal Jethwa noted that Homebound felt like a step forward for all of them, proud to represent India with the film.

Following its premiere at Cannes, Homebound was screened at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it also received a standing ovation. This momentum built anticipation for its theatrical release in India, which occurred on September 26, 2025, and was met with critical acclaim.

Despite the positive reception and critical acclaim, Homebound faced challenges in its Oscar journey. It was selected as India's official entry for the 98th Academy Awards. In December 2025, it was shortlisted as one of the 15 films for Best International Feature Film but did not make it to the final nominations.

Homebound is available for streaming on Netflix. The film is based on a New York Times article by Basharat Peer from 2020.