“Bhaut garv hai is film pe”: Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa express happiness as ‘Homebound’ is India’s Oscar entry
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
India’s film industry has a new reason to celebrate: Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Homebound” just earned a spot as the country’s official entry for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. The Film Federation of India (FFI) made the exciting announcement, putting the spotlight on this drama starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor.
At a lively press conference in Mumbai on Monday, the cast and director shared their joy over the Oscar nod. Ishaan Khatter called it the project he’s proudest of. “Bhaut garv hai mujhe ispe,” he said, adding that it’s an extremely important film. “Neeraj bhai has made this movie with a lot of thought so that it can reach a wider audience.”
“Homebound” has already turned heads on the global stage. The movie screened at Cannes 2025, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), earning strong critical acclaim. Now, it’s heading to Indian theaters on September 26, and the team can’t wait for local audiences to see it.
Director Neeraj Ghaywan beamed with pride, saying the international buzz was thrilling, but nothing beats bringing it home. “Cannes, Toronto, Melbourne—all of these things happened and we were super thrilled for the critical acclaim that we got from around the world. But personally for me, it being homebound to India is the biggest, biggest thing. I mean, that cannot be matched with anything else.” He added, “We are so eager to see how everyone sees it on the 26th of September. We have made this film for our country. We made this film with absolute authenticity and absolute integrity and it shows—I hope it shows here and people appreciate it.”
The story dives into the lives of two childhood friends from a small North Indian village. They chase a police job, hoping it brings the dignity they’ve always been denied. But as they get closer to their goal, growing desperation starts to strain their deep bond.
Vishal Jethwa opened up about his approach to the role, drawing on advice from Bollywood heavyweight Aditya Chopra. “To play this character, I followed a kind of guru mantra that Aditya Chopra sir once shared with me. When I first met him, he told me, ‘Surrender yourself completely to the director.’ That advice has stayed with me, and I still follow it. I did the same here—I simply surrendered.” He explained that when he met Neeraj, his main goal was to honor the director’s vision after all the time and effort poured into the film.
Fans of Indian cinema and Oscar contenders should mark their calendars for this one—it’s shaping up to be a powerful watch.
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