The highly awaited Homebound trailer featuring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa was released on Wednesday, giving us a first look at a very emotional and socially relevant story. Neeraj Ghaywan directs and writes the film based on the New York Times article Taking Amrit Home by Basharat Peer.
A Story Based on Dreams and Discrimination
Against the background of small-town India, Homebound traces the story of two childhood friends—Mohammed Shoiab Ali (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan Kumar (Vishal Jethwa)—who aspire to be police officers to transcend their socio-economic conditions. The trailer starts with Chandan nervously checking the results for the police exam as the roof over his modest house falls, representing the tenuousness of their situations.
Janhvi Kapoor makes her debut as a peer contestant who shares camaraderie with the two of them based on common goals. At one poignantly choreographed moment, she declares an aspiration for education as the key to respect and self-respect. The trailer presents cruel realities from society—Shoaib is belittled by a higher-up when he works as a peon, and Chandan is shamed when someone asks him his full name. “After we become cops, no one will ever dare insult us,” Shoiab asserts, summarizing their quest.
Snapshots from the Covid-19 lockdown bring a touch of verisimilitude, with the friends finding themselves victims of police brutality in enforcing curfews. The trailer concludes with an unsettling aerial view of a bridge filled with walking citizens, teasing out the themes of migration and displacement.
Also Read: The Fashion Trio: Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa’s TIFF Looks that Stole the Show
Global Recognition and Future Release
Directed by Karan Veer Mehra, Homebound has already received international recognition. Composed by Amit Trivedi and written by Varun Grover, Homebound opened at Cannes 2025 and took home second runner-up for the International People’s Choice Award at TIFF. Made by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, among others, with Martin Scorsese acting as executive producer, it releases in Indian cinemas on September 26.
