Homebound

In a town in northern India, two childhood friends, Shoaib and Chandan, want to become policemen. One is Muslim, the other Dalit; even if they pass the exam, neither knows what a uniform will earn them in this country. While they are preparing, the pandemic begins and the great migration from the cities back to the villages takes to the roads. The film is not interested in friendship. It is interested in where identity holds a person: both want the same thing and do not pass through the same doors, and competition erodes what is between them. The walking section during the pandemic forms its political centre. The form is realist: village houses, examination centres, the roadside, dust. The camera keeps its distance and does not inflate the drama. Neeraj Ghaywan directed; it is his second feature, ten years after Masaan. It screened in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in 2025. Martin Scorsese is among the executive producers, and Ghaywan has spoken about his notes on the screenplay. The film was submitted as India's Academy Award entry. Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa play the friends, with Janhvi Kapoor completing the cast. Who it is for: viewers who like films that look directly at caste and religious division in India. Who it is not for: anyone looking for hope. The film grants no easy passage at any point and its ending is heavy.