Homebound: New India’s Realistic Tale

Homebound (2025/India) Hindi movie brings to life a down-to-earth and poignant tale about two childhood friends, who are simply trying to lead a decent life in a New India. But is it really possible? Especially when contemporary politics is tearing families, friends and Indian society apart. More so, in the last decade or so.

Focus: Homebound (2025/India) Hindi Movie

Spoiler-Free Movie Review

Synopsis (official)

Two friends, Chandan (Vishal Jethwa) and Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter), from a North Indian village, pursue police jobs seeking dignity, but their friendship strains as desperation grows in their quest. So, they leave home to apply for police jobs, seeking stability and status. 

But over time, their future and friendship grow uncertain. 

Poster (official)

Homebound is India's official entry for the 'Best International Feature Film' category at the 98th Academy Awards in 2026.

Movie ~ Title, Inspiration & Storyline

The movie title “Homebound” means “on the way home” or “homeward-bound.” Notably, nowadays, quite a few “Hindi” movies (and series) use the “English” words as titles, perhaps, because they are primarily targeting the Indian audience, who understand English and/or the English-speaking Foreign audience.

"Homebound" is inspired by the The New York Times feature article titled Taking Amrit Home, written by Indian journalist Basharat Peer. The said NTY article by Basharat Peer is titled "A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway". And it follows the journey of two friends, Mohammad Saiyub and Amrit Kumar, as they return to their homes during the first wave of COVID-19 and the unprecedented nationwide lockdown imposed in India. Were the two friends able to reach their respective homes safely? 

(Their real-life story is shared in the Spoiler Alerts below)

Please note that the makers of this Hindi movie have changed the names of two leading characters to Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), respectively. Moreover, they have added a few fictional elements to add drama to this intense story of friendship and brotherhood.

Indian Youth & Unemployment Crisis

In the opening scene of the movie, we get a thought-provoking shot of a small but busy Railway Station located somewhere in North India. Hundreds (if not thousands) of youngsters have crowded not only the said Railway Station but also the Railway Train, subsequently.

We hope that you all have checked and seen the video shared above.

All those who have been to Railway Stations in any of the Northern states of India must have come across such scenes many times. In today’s day and age, it is quite apparent that government jobs have become a rare commodity. As a result, the unemployment crisis of a huge proportion has hit the Indian youth in the last decade or so. In fact, the delayed exams have become a norm in most of the North Indian states. And when one adds the widespread corruption and question-paper leak issues to the mix, getting a government job becomes much more complicated.

In this video, after watching the crowded Railway Platform and Railway Boogie, Shoaib casually mentions that reaching the exam centre (for government job recruitment examinations) is the first battle for the Indian youth. In reply, Chandan asks, “Are we taking an exam or going to a war?”

Not really the advent of good days (acche-din) for these youngsters.

Casteism, Communalism, Cricket & More

Chandan comes from an underprivileged Dalit family, while Shoaib belongs to a Muslim community. In recent years, India (especially the Northern States) has been witnessing a far greater surge in both casteism and communalism.

On one hand, the young Dalit (SC/Scheduled Caste) man, Chandan, often tries to hide his (so-called lower and untouchable) caste identity while interacting with the people belonging to the (so-called higher) castes. The only time he seems to be comfortable, when he is with his friends, Shoaib or Sudha Bharti (Janhvi Kapoor), perhaps because he can be honest with both of them. Incidentally, Sudha also belongs to the Dalit community. However, her family is slightly better off economically, as her father has a secure government job, albeit at a junior grade.

On the other hand, the young Muslim man, Shoaib, also has to regularly face verbal taunts for being a Muslim in New India. Some of the educated chaps with a communal mindset often question his loyalty to India. In other words, some of them wish to send him to Pakistan. One of the most distressing (ugly but true) scenes involving Shoaib was the way he was verbally abused and hurt during a cricket match between India and Pakistan. In other words, Shoaib was asked to bear the brunt of all the historical unpleasantness of India’s and Pakistan’s geopolitical rivalry.

Therefore, one could honestly say that it is not easy being either a Dalit or a Muslim in this New India.

COVID-19 & Unplanned Lockdown

It was one of the unforgettable nights in recent Indian history when PM Modi announced an unplanned nationwide lockdown in India, like a bolt from the blue. And, as expected, the stringent nationwide lockdown in India hit the Indian (moneyless) migrant workers very badly, and many perished.

The opposition political parties blamed the Indian Government for shoddy planning, faulty management, bad governance, and a careless attitude. Consequently, millions of poverty-stricken people faced unprecedented hardships in India. The income and social inequality are apparent. And they are widening further.

And the stories of Shoaib and Chandan are not very different in this Hindi film. Both of them were hit by the same unprepared lockdown clampdown. And, in the end (you can check the spoilers below), only one of them manages to survive. India is not for poor people, really!

The way Shoib and Chandan were treated in their own nation is the brutal and ugly reality of New India. And why does the man-made hardship exists because of the defective policies adversely affecting the economically weaker sections of Indian society.

Rating

The Conclusion

So, this social issue drama focuses its complete attention on two of the increasingly marginalised communities of India. After watching it, one does wonder if the lifelong struggle for a comfortable life is still possible for the youngsters hailing from impoverished economic backgrounds? What’s their future in New India?

The three leading performers, Ishaan Khatter (Shoaib), Vishal Jethwa (Chandan), and Janhvi Kapoor (Sudha Bharti), have portrayed their respective characters honestly and effectively. However, we simply loved the performance of the supporting actress Shalini Vatsa (Phool) in the film; she is too good, even in a small role. It is indeed creditable that despite the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) making many cuts in the “Homebound” movie, the writer and director Neeraj Ghaywan has made an intelligent and thought-provoking film.

However, there is no doubt that the censor softened its messaging.

Instead of being a hard-hitting film, the Homebound movie lands soft blows in this realistic social drama inspired by true stories of India.

CBFC Censorship

The filmmaker felt that the CBFC cuts compromised the original vision of the film, which deals with themes of caste, religion, and inequality in present-day India.

Key Details

The Real-Life Story | Spoiler Alert (#1)

Trailer (official)

When Life Makes The Journey Tougher Than The Exam | Homebound | Netflix India | YouTube Video Link.

A Haunting Image Went Viral | Spoiler Alert (#2)

When critical dehydration took Amrit Kumar’s life

A tragic death took away a friend

On May 15, 2020, a photograph—taken before the ambulance arrived—recorded a heartbreaking scene along a highway in central India: Mohammad Saiyub cradling his friend Amrit Kumar in his lap, feverish, dehydrated, and barely conscious. Beside them rested a half-empty water bottle and a red bag, as the sun beat down on the clearing. The image swiftly spread across Indian social media, becoming a significant symbol of steadfast friendship, human vulnerability, and the concealed toll of the COVID lockdown on migrant workers.

It immortalised not just a tragic moment, but also the wider struggle of countless labourers undertaking arduous journeys home during the pandemic.

On May 16, 2020, a nurse confirmed Saiyub’s most dreaded fear: Amrit had died from critical dehydration.

Both friends had tested negative for COVID-19, demonstrating that the fatal situation arose from the harsh conditions of their journey rather than the virus.

This newsclip is credited to Seema Chishti (seemay/X~Twitter)

Awards Nominations ~ as on date

Lastly, also check out the FM Review of Bheed (2023) Hindi Movie in our Focus Magazine.

Poster and Featured Image of the Homebound (2025/India) Hindi movie | Pictures Credit: Netflix & Dharma Productions.