Neeraj Ghaywan’s new film Homebound is produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and stars Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in the lead roles, with Janhvi Kapoor appearing in an extended cameo. And yes, legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese is also on board as an executive producer. The social drama had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2025, which was attended by the actors, director, and producer. From what we’ve heard, Homebound received a nine-minute standing ovation following its screening. Cannes 2025: Karan Johar's Film ‘Homebound’ Receives 9-Minute Standing Ovation, Director Neeraj Ghaywan Gets Emotional (Watch Video).

A couple of early reviews of Homebound are in, and they are full of glowing praise. Neeraj Ghaywan’s direction and screenplay have been particularly lauded, described as sublime, while the performances of Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa are being singled out for acclaim.

However, one review suggests that Janhvi Kapoor may have been miscast, especially considering the expectations surrounding her character.

Reviews of 'Homebound' From Cannes 2025

Variety says, "Shoaib and Chandan start out as a playful pair, but their struggle to find work leads to increasing frustrations, driving a wedge between them. Khatter and Jethwa put on immensely endearing and unpredictable performances. Unfortunately, unlike her Dhadak co-star Khatter, Kapoor (who was similarly raised in the Hindi film industry) hasn’t yet learned to shed the enunciations and gestures that suggest someone who was raised in a major city, surrounded by wealth. This makes Sudha’s dynamic with Chandan play like the kind of inter-class or inter-caste romance typical of Indian dramas, despite what’s actually intended. However, this disconnect is limited to only a handful of scenes, since Kapoor’s role is truncated to the point of feeling perfunctory."

Screen Daily says, "Ghaywan’s points about Hindu nationalism and lingering class bias are on the nose, but he never belabours them, and he gets plenty of help from a stellar cast led by Khatter and Jethwa. Chandan’s casual attempt to avoid revealing his surname to a student they meet at the train station, Sudha Bharti (Janhvi Kapoor) – and therefore indicating his caste – is nicely underplayed. Khatter buries Mohammed’s fury at being asked to produce residency papers and a clean police record for a sales job, but the fight between yelling and remaining silent is palpable."

The Hollywood Reporter India says, "There is such precision, beauty, and emotion here, built on strong writing (the screenplay is by Neeraj) and superb performances. Ishaan Khatter as Sohaib and Vishal Jethwa as Chandan shed their Bollywood baggage, as does Janhvi Kapoor. There is authenticity and the ability to deliver complex emotion. Ishaan, who started his career with Majid Majidi’s 2017 film Beyond the Clouds, returns to his roots. He is brilliant. The other standout is Shalini Vats, playing a mother felled by her circumstances." ‘Homebound’ Star Cast and Crew Walk Red Carpet at Cannes Film Festival 2025 (See Pics).

Here Are Also Some Critics' Reactions to 'Homebound' on X

‘Beautifully Told Story’

‘Neeraj Ghaywan Has Delivered Another Winner’

‘Brings the Marginalised and the Minorities Centre Stage’

The Plot of 'Homebound'

Homebound is inspired by an article by award-winning journalist Basharat Peer for The New York Times, which focuses on two migrants in India and their struggles during the first COVID-19 lockdown. The film explores the hardships faced by minorities in India’s politically fractured climate through the friendship between Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter), a Muslim, and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), a Dalit. Both are striving for civil service jobs when the lockdown puts their friendship to the test. Janhvi Kapoor plays a young woman whom Chandan is infatuated with - she also comes from a lower-caste background, though her family enjoys better financial circumstances.

The Indian release date for Homebound has yet to be confirmed. However, given that Dharma Productions is reportedly struggling to obtain a censor certificate for Dhadak 2 - according to Anurag Kashyap - due to its depiction of caste discrimination (the film is a remake of the Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal), Homebound might face a similar challenge on home turf.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2025 02:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).