Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound Heads to TIFF 2025 After Cannes Acclaim; Starring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa
After receiving widespread acclaim and a resounding nine-minute standing ovation during its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s much-anticipated drama Homebound is now set to captivate audiences at yet another prestigious global stage — the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2025.
The film, which stars Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles, has officially been selected for TIFF’s Gala Presentations category, a high-profile segment known for showcasing some of the year’s most compelling cinematic works. #TIFF2025
Karan Johar Confirms TIFF Selection on Instagram
Celebrated producer and filmmaker Karan Johar, whose banner Dharma Productions has co-produced the film alongside Sikhya Entertainment, took to Instagram to share the exciting news with his followers.
“#Homebound has been officially selected for the Toronto International Film Festival 2025 (@tiff_net) in the Gala Presentations category,” Johar posted on Wednesday. “Extremely thrilled and elated to be a part of this prestigious festival — another proud moment for us at Dharma.” #HomeboundFilm
The film’s TIFF selection comes on the heels of its triumphant premiere at Cannes 2025, where it was featured in the Un Certain Regard section, a sidebar known for highlighting original voices and boundary-pushing storytelling.
A Tale Rooted in Small-Town India
Set against the backdrop of a modest village in North India, Homebound tells a poignant and powerful story of friendship, aspiration, and class struggle. It revolves around two childhood friends who are bound by a shared dream: securing a government police job, which they believe will provide them with dignity, stability, and a long-awaited escape from the margins of society.
However, as they inch closer to turning that dream into reality, the characters begin to experience the strain of ambition, jealousy, and personal conflict, testing the very foundations of their relationship. The film’s narrative delves deep into social hierarchies, economic disparity, and the price of survival in modern India.
Martin Scorsese Onboard as Executive Producer
Adding a prestigious international layer to the project is iconic American filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who serves as the executive producer of Homebound. In an earlier statement, Scorsese revealed how he came to be involved with the film and expressed his admiration for Ghaywan’s work.
“I saw Neeraj’s first film, Masaa, back in 2015, and I was incredibly moved by it. So when Mélita Toscan du Plantier brought Homebound to my attention, I was intrigued. I loved the story and the cultural layers it presented — I wanted to support it in any way I could,” Scorsese said. #MartinScorsese
