Vishal Jethwa, one of the lead actors in "Homebound," India's official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards, described meeting Martin Scorsese as a "career highlight". The film's team, including director Neeraj Ghaywan and actor Ishaan Khatter, attended a special screening of "Homebound" in New York hosted by Scorsese, who also served as an executive producer on the film.
Jethwa recalled the experience, stating that everyone was nervous before meeting the legendary filmmaker, especially director Neeraj Ghaywan. "We met him on November 7 and the entire team was very nervous before that, the most being Neeraj (Ghaywan, director) sir," Jethwa shared. Ghaywan also expressed his nervousness, revealing that Scorsese, sensing his unease, shared a funny anecdote to lighten the mood. Ghaywan tweeted that sitting across from Martin Scorsese was the highest point in his career.
According to Jethwa, Scorsese's personality was "very calm, quiet". He added that Scorsese cracked jokes and shared stories about his films and life. Jethwa also recounted his desire to capture the moment with a photo and how Scorsese readily agreed to take a picture in the Indian "Namaste" style. "I had a desire to take a picture to capture that moment with him and I finally got the picture where I requested him to do Namaste and he very sweetly agreed," Jethwa said.
Scorsese has been associated with "Homebound" from the beginning, providing inputs on the story. According to Jethwa, Scorsese's constant advice was to "Stick to the boys". The film, produced by Dharma Productions, has been gaining international recognition since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
"Homebound" is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer's 2020 New York Times article and follows two friends navigating isolation, class tension, and loss during the COVID-19 lockdown. The film stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor. The New York screening was attended by film enthusiasts, critics, and industry veterans, including South actor Siddharth and filmmaker Mira Nair. Following the screening, Scorsese and Ghaywan participated in an intimate Q&A session. Ghaywan contextualized the social and cultural foundations that inform his work, explaining to Martin Scorsese Annihilation of Caste and Dr. BR Ambedkar.
