Hindi/1h58m/2025

Synopsis: Shoaib and Chandan have grown up together in their remote village, located in the northern parts of India. They are subjected to various forms of discrimination because of their religion and caste. Additionally, they are also hit by poverty. Following this, they decide to become police officers to escape such horrors.

Review: 

With his debut film ‘Masaan’, Neeraj Ghaywan established a strong presence specifically in Bollywood. His film had characters with clear purpose, an engaging screenplay, and a believable storyline set against a realistic backdrop. It also addressed contemporary issues like caste and gender inequalities—it was quite a rare sight in mainstream Bollywood cinema. 

In fact, he carried this theme forward and continued to show his cinematic prowess in his subsequent works. So, we shouldn’t be surprised to see the same kind of treatment in his recent film, ‘Homebound’.

We get the overall idea of the film as soon as it kicks off—it can’t be more straightforward than this. Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa) are completely devastated while seeing a huge chunk of the population appear for the police recruitment exam. We also see them discussing how they can escape social discrimination if they become police officers. And, in no time, we are also introduced to another main character, Sudha (Jhanvi). 

​As the characters await the recruitment results, their lives see twists and turns with various forms of humiliation. For instance, Chandan often hesitates to select his reservation category in government forms or avoids revealing his surname. Why? Because if society learns about his caste, then it would make him feel worthless. He thinks that keeping his caste a secret will shield him from abuse, but it only seems to complicate matters for him. 

​On the other hand, Shoaib is also poorly treated because of his religion. Everybody makes fun of him and sees him as a threat to the entire nation. But somehow, Shoaib doesn’t want to leave his homeland for Dubai—he doesn’t want to leave his beloved friend, family, and identity behind. 

​Mostly, the film revolves around the relationship between Chandan and Shoaib—no matter how cruel the world acts against them, they stick together, holding hands tightly until the very end. We also see them having a supportive friend, Sudha. Unlike Chandan, she doesn’t hide her identity, and she’s pretty straightforward about it. She also has a futuristic vision and encourages Chandan to think that way. 

​The film also deals with another complicated matter—Chandan’s relationship with his sister. Like Chandan’s family work tirelessly to help him achieve great things, as that would lift them from poverty. In this process, they almost forget the existence of Chandan’s sister, let alone allowing her to study.  This kind of portrayal simply shows how men are born with silver spoons, while the basic rights of women are usually denied in a patriarchal setup.  

Additionally, we see how Chandan’s mother (Shalini Vatsa) is ill-treated when she cooks for school children—it causes complete chaos. The following close-up shot of her, along with the picture of Babasaheb Ambedkar, speaks volumes.

Everybody in ‘Homebound’ is a protagonist, and whenever they suffer, it lands heavily on us. The thing is, such stressful incidents in the film feel closer to life rather than being overly dramatic. While watching the film, we’ll also wonder how the characters have pulled off a great performance. 

The Final Verdict?  

​Neeraj Ghaywan has made yet another powerful film with multiple layers, each unraveled with utmost care. ‘Homebound’ is surely a film that simply leaves you speechless. It makes you wonder how some people struggle to just merely exist, while others find themselves mostly undisturbed.