Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, starring Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, is India’s official Oscar 2026 entry. The film explores caste, religion, and resilience.
A New Chapter for Indian Cinema
India’s cinematic journey toward the Academy Awards has a new torchbearer. Homebound—the poignant story of two young men navigating friendship and adversity has been officially selected as India’s entry for the 2026 Oscars in the Best International Feature category.
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the film unites Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in a powerful narrative of resilience, identity, and belonging. After premiering at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival under the Un Certain Regard section and later securing recognition at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the film now stands on the global stage.
The Story Behind Homebound
At its heart, Homebound is the tale of Chandan (Jethwa), a Dalit, and Shoaib (Khatter), a Muslim, whose unshakable bond fuels their fight for dignity and a better life.
Inspired by a 2020 New York Times article by Basharat Peer on India’s mass migration during the Covid lockdown, Ghaywan and his co-writers Varun Grover and Shreedhar Dubey spent nearly three years shaping the story into a cinematic experience.
The film humanizes statistics often reduced to cold numbers migrants, Dalits, the marginalized—by focusing on lived realities. Through Chandan and Shoaib’s journey, audiences see not only hardship but also the fragile beauty of hope.
The “Pinch-Me” Moment
The announcement of the Oscar entry caught the creators off guard. Ghaywan was fine-tuning the theatrical trailer ahead of the September 26 release, Jethwa was driving, and Khatter was quite literally in midair when the news arrived.
For Karan Johar, one of the film’s co-producers, the honor was “a pinch-me moment” that underscored the film’s emotional power and universal appeal.
Ghaywan’s Personal Quest
For Neeraj Ghaywan, known for his critically acclaimed debut Masaan (2015), Homebound was more than a professional endeavor it was deeply personal.
“I had to personalize the story,” Ghaywan explained. He drew on his experiences of growing up in a Dalit but patriarchal household and the struggles of navigating identity in a caste-driven society. Yet, beyond the socio-political themes, Ghaywan insists the film is ultimately about “a beautiful friendship” that reflects the soul of the nation.
Crafting Authenticity Through Empathy
Authenticity was central to the filmmaking process. Ghaywan sought actors who saw their roles as more than performances who embraced the responsibility of representing overlooked communities.
Khatter and Jethwa immersed themselves in preparation: bonding off-screen, reading B.R. Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste, and visiting rural India to understand the characters’ realities.
The cast also includes Janhvi Kapoor, who makes a cameo as a young Ambedkarite student, adding another dimension to the story’s exploration of identity and justice.
From Numbers to Human Stories
In interviews, Ghaywan has often criticized the reduction of marginalized struggles into mere statistics. “We talk about numbers so many migrants, so many Dalits but the condescending gaze strips away humanity,” he said.
Homebound disrupts this narrative by stepping into homes, lives, and emotions asking audiences to see what marginalized communities eat, feel, aspire toward, and endure when forced to rebuild after loss.
A Film of Pain, but Also Hope
While the film directly addresses caste and religious bias, it doesn’t leave viewers in despair. Ghaywan insists the story is ultimately one of optimism. “There is so much pain in our world today, but we must hold on to the belief that things can change,” he reflected. “I saw beauty in that possibility.”
Why This Matters
By weaving together friendship, identity, and resilience, Homebound breaks away from formulaic cinema to tell a story that feels both deeply local and globally relevant. Its Oscar nomination doesn’t just celebrate Indian cinema it highlights urgent conversations about caste, religion, and dignity that resonate far beyond India’s borders.
Conclusion
As Homebound heads toward the Academy Awards, it carries with it not just the hopes of its creators but also the voices of those too often unheard. By giving human faces to statistics, Neeraj Ghaywan’s film stands as a landmark moment for storytelling one that may redefine India’s cultural footprint on the world stage.
