Film: Homebound 

Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, Janhvi Kapoor, Shalini Vatsa

Direction: Neeraj Ghaywan

Rating: 4 Moons

Storyline 

‘Homebound’, inspired by the ‘New York Times’ essay 'Taking Amrit Home' (now retitled 'A Friendship, A Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway') by Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer, is the heartrending story of two young migrant workers in Surat who were caught in the COVID-19 lockdown.

They are friends. Mohammad Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan Kumar (Vishal Jethwa), who dream of passing the police recruitment entrance exam and wearing khaki. But society repeatedly gets in their way. Shoaib is hindered by his religious identity; Chandan by his backward caste. Their struggle forces us to consider whether hard work and dedication are enough to fulfill dreams, or whether the timeworn shackles of society will still outweigh them.

The quiet, silent character of Sudha Bharti (Janhvi Kapoor) emerges as a ray of hope in the story. She has the courage to dream big despite facing adversity and embodies the human spirit. Set against the rustic backdrop of a small village in Madhya Pradesh first, then the handloom industry city of Surat, ‘Homebound’ beautifully pits emotions against social conflicts.

Acting

The heart of any film is its actors, and 'Homebound' fully meets this criterion. Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa portray their characters with such sincerity that it feels like they're living in the same circumstances. The earnestness in their eyes expresses the hopelessness of their struggles. Janhvi Kapoor is the Queen of Expressive Emotion. She plays her part brilliantly, bringing the story to life with her screen presence and at times just a soft smile or twitch of the eyebrow. But it is Shalini Vatsa (Chandan's pathetic, broken mother) who leaves the deepest impression. Her pain and tears at the end break the audience's heart.

Direction

After delivering the cult film 'Masaan,' Neeraj Ghaywan returns with ‘Homebound’ that is out of the box and stirs emotions. He pays special attention to detail, be it the village dialect, the use of colors, the authenticity of the background, and the painfully realistic Covid lockdown scenes. Every frame in ‘Homebound’ is crafted with utmost care. Legendary Hollywood filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who came on board as Executive Producer of ‘Homebound’, loved Neeraj’s work and declared the film was a significant contribution to Indian cinema.

Dialogue

Another great strength of 'Homebound' , like its visual imagery, is the film’s dialogue. It touches the heart. It doesn't come across as preachy, but rather perfectly captures the needs of today's times. Sometimes, the dialogues are chilling but they will make you laugh. These are not your regular Bollywood dialogues of bravado intended to cheer the frontbenchers, but cries from the depths of souls tortured by poverty and desperation.  

Overall

‘Homebound’ isn't just a film, it's an experience. It confronts us with the harsh realities of society and forces us to reflect about the uncertainties of life while being grateful for what we have. It's an important film that should be seen by everyone. And is a worthy and strong entry by India to Oscas 2026. Godspeed on that journey, too.