In a recent interview, Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, stars of the film Homebound, shared insights into their off-screen bonding and the serious themes explored in the movie. Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, has been selected as India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was also showcased at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The film, inspired by Basharat Peer's article "Taking Amrit Home," follows the journey of two childhood friends, Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa). Shoaib is Muslim, and Chandan is Dalit. They dream of joining the police force to reclaim the dignity denied to them due to their surnames. As they get closer to their goal, pressure and struggles create problems in their friendship. Homebound also stars Janhvi Kapoor.
Ishaan Khatter described how he and Vishal Jethwa bonded. He said, "Vishal came to my house. We had coffee together. We shared our grievances with each other. We were like, 'Arrey, you are also so tortured? I'm also that tortured'. Trauma bonding ho gayi humaari. It's trauma bonding". According to The Indian Express, Neeraj Ghaywan encouraged Ishaan and Vishal to be vulnerable with each other and share their insecurities to help them bond. These conversations supported them throughout the film.
Vishal Jethwa also shared his experiences, "The scene I thought would be the easiest turned out to be the most difficult... the scene where we look at the results and I had to build from fear into happiness, was tough. My worry was that I would end up looking fake. Maybe, because passing marks never really mattered to me, I couldn't relate. But, thanks to Ishaan, I managed to do whatever I did there".
The actors also spoke about the deeper meaning of Homebound. Vishal hopes the film will encourage people to accept their identity and where they come from. He told NDTV, "It's a universal fact that we are not able to accept ourselves fully and comfortably. Not because we are afraid of ourselves but because we are afraid of the repercussions or its side effects, I think that fear has to be released". Ishaan added that cinema has the power to leave a lasting impact and spark positive change in society.
According to NDTV, Ishaan said, "It's an urgent call to action for the dormant humanity in us to come alive and acknowledge certain harsh realities that we are living amidst... Our attempt was to zoom in on the lives of two such people and humanise them. To show you the differences and appeal to your common humanity".
Homebound has been praised for its poignant depiction of friendship, caste, and the struggles of migrant workers during the lockdown.
