Page 36 - The Indian EYE 101025
P. 36
CANADA Newsline OCTOBER 10, 2025 | The Indian Eye 36
Homebound recounts a story of
discrimination, divisiveness and despair
BY RENU MEHTA
Toronto
he red carpet gala screening of Homebound
won over audiences at the Toronto Interna-
Ttional Film Festival (TIFF), where it pre-
miered at Roy Thomson Hall.
Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan
and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, offers
a powerful look at the collision between youthful
ambition and stark social realities. Set in a north-
ern Indian village, the film follows two close friends
whose pursuit of careers in law enforcement be-
comes a fight for dignity and a stable future.
The lead roles are portrayed by Ishaan Khat-
ter and Vishal Jethwa, with Jahnvi Kapoor also
starring. The trio, along with Ghaywan, received a
warm ovation as they entered the auditorium.
Chandan (Jethwa), a Dalit, and Shoaib (Khat-
ter), a Muslim, are determined to beat the odds:
out of 2.5 million applicants, only 3,500 police
jobs are available. Yet both young men cling to
the hope that the uniform will bring them respect
and security. As months pass without exam results,
economic pressures intensify. Shoaib grapples
with his father’s sudden disability, while Chandan
dreams of building a proper home for his parents ing the results of the police exam online and I pass
so his mother can finally rest. But caste and reli- but Shoaib does not make it. In that moment, you
gious prejudice loom large, threatening not only have to express that feeling that you are very hap-
their aspirations but also the friendship that sus- py, yet you are sad at the same time. So that was a
tains them. difficult one. I really liked the way Ishan’s charac-
Jethwa and Khatter deliver performances rich ter supported me in this scene otherwise I would
in warmth and emotional depth, anchoring the not have been able to do it.”
film in humanity and heart. Khatter also described a pivotal scene that
The cast continued to praise Ghaywan for his tested the cast and crew.
emotionally charged storytelling and decision to “The last moment that I shared with my friend,
shoot the film chronologically. Khatter reflected I think the whole film was kind of hinging on that
on the experience, saying the actors were simply moment. It felt very real and was very difficult,”
vessels for the director’s vision. said Khatter. “It was a complicated scene for many
“I am extremely humbled to be part of this reasons. This is a film that was shooting against
project,” said Khatter. “It is a deeply personal film time. We had many logistical challenges because
in terms of what I recognize in the character and the bridge had to be emptied. There were cars
this really moved me. I think one of the things that passing. One had to do that scene in a two-minute
broke me was the spirit this character carried and window before a car came. And it was kind of dif-
the spirit of the boys and their friendship through ficult. Those are the things you don’t see. We did
the film. I thought it was important for me to carry it once and felt it was almost there. Then the sun
this spirit, push in the opposite direction and make set and we had to go back the next day. That is not
these guys as alive as possible. And that is what I something a director does, but he did that. It was
tried to work towards. I tried to show their hopes, the most supportive set for actors that I have had
their aspirations and bring all the elements as best the privilege of being on,” he added.
as I could – the relationship, the friendship, the Ghaywan, visibly moved during the screening,
love and the trials and tribulations. For me it was shared the personal roots of the story.
very important to find the spirit of this character.” “The major part of the country lives in villages
When asked about the most challenging scene, and we don’t show these,” said Ghaywan. “Apart
Jethwa pointed to a deceptively simple moment. from that, I had a personal reason because I went
“The most difficult scene was the simplest back to a lot of my childhood. I grew up in a patri-
scene. It’s often what looks like simple scene is archal Dalit household and carried the shame of
often the most difficult,” said Jethwa, who played hiding for a very long time and this was my way to Photos: Courtesy – TIFF
Chandan. “There is one scene when we are check- exorcise those dreams, put an end to it.”
www.TheIndianEYE.com