N Chandra, the chairperson of the selection committee, said in a press conference in Kolkata, “It was a very difficult choice. There were films that touched the lives of people. We were not judges but coaches. We were searching for players who have made their mark.
Reacting to it, producer Karan Johar said, “We are deeply honoured and humbled that HOMEBOUND has been selected as India’s official entry to the Academy Awards… Neeraj Ghaywan’s labour of love is sure to a find a home in a million hearts across the world.”
Homebound follows the journey of two friends, Mohammad Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan Kumar (Vishal Jethwa), as they prepare for police recruitment exams. Shoaib, employed as an office boy in an MNC, experiences discrimination due to his religion, while Chandan, a Dalit, is subjected to caste-based insults. Both individuals believe that securing a government job, especially one involving a uniform, will enable them to gain the respect that society has not given them. Janhvi Kapoor is also featured in the film, playing a friend of the two, a young PhD aspirant who is also dealing with her own set of restrictions.
Homebound will be released in India on September 26.
Also Read: Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa’s Homebound Trailer Highlights Casteism Struggles
