‘Homebound’ a call for inculcating empathy, humanity in people: Neeraj Ghaywan

Mumbai, Sep 22 (PTI) Filmmaker Neeraj Ghyawan on Monday said through his film "Homebound", which is India's entry to the Oscars, he wants to have conversation with the audiences on the importance of empathy and dialogue at a time when there is too much hate around the world.

On Friday, “Homebound” was announced as India's official entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category. Ghaywan said the team is still in disbelief but is happy that the film is now releasing in theatres in India.

“Our entire goal in making this film is that people that don't look like you, talk like you, have different worldviews and value systems and maybe ideologically different, I'm saying that we should have empathy even for those.

"There's so much hate and there's so much of disdain for each other. It's about time across the world that we just stop and maybe have a dignified conversation, and engage in dialogue and not engage in aspersions and squabbles. So that's my intent,” he said at a press conference.

He said the movie, starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhavi Kapoor in lead roles, is a deeply humane story of Indian "heartland and people".

“We are very thrilled, honoured and humbled (Oscar entry)... It's (the film) a call for inculcating empathy, humanity in people and not see the difference in each other, so that's the message that we're going with,” he added.

The film, which had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes and most recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, is set to release in India on September 26.

Ghaywan, known for his acclaimed debut "Masaan" in 2015, said he is hoping audiences in the country “appreciate” his film as it is made for the people of India.

“To be at a global stage is a huge thing for us. But having said that, Cannes, Toronto and Melbourne and all of these things happened, and we were super thrilled for the acclaim that we got around the world. Personally, for me bringing 'Homebound' to India is the biggest thing, and it cannot be matched with anything else.

"We're so eager to see how everyone sees it on September 26. We've made this film for our country and we've made this film with absolute authenticity, integrity and I hope it shows and people here appreciate it,” Ghaywan added.

The film is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer’s The New York Times article “Taking Amrit Home”, also titled (A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway).

"Homebound" portrays the childhood friendship between a Muslim and Dalit who chase a police job that promises them the dignity they have long been denied due to their surnames.

When asked about the challenges of tackling several issues like religion, caste, patriarchy, and COVID-19 in the film, the director said, it all came together “organically” as he didn’t want his characters to be “unidimensional”.

“I’m from a particular community, I can’t be presenting it as one good thing. I had to call out my own thing. This happened because I grew up in a patriarchal household.

The shame I carried for a long time of hiding my identity and passing off as someone else, I had to put it in the film.

"I was favoured more than my sisters. My nephew and niece were told that Neeraj mama is very cute, and that’s why I was a favourite. I realised it was not because I was cute and little, it was just because I was male. So, my real sister, Vaishali saw it (film) yesterday and she was overwhelmed, she was like I didn’t realise all this,” Ghaywan said.

The film has received warm reviews during its international festival run and has legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese as an executive producer.

Ghaywan said Scorsese gave valuable creative feedback and then he accordingly made certain changes.

“We’re quite privileged to have his support. He's been so instrumental in giving us a copious amount of notes, he sent (it) across our producer, Merita Toscon, about the script, So I changed the script. His contribution to the script has been quite a lot because I've changed those (things).

"Then again, he came back when we were editing the film. He's given feedback on the edits, and all of this selflessly. That's the reason why he's the biggest filmmaker around the world,” Ghaywan said. PTI KKP SSG BK BK