- Friday, May 23, 2025
Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan returns to Cannes with Homebound, a heartland-rooted story backed by Karan Johar and Martin Scorsese. The duo shares their vision for emotional, empathetic storytelling and the global power of Indian cinema.
By: Vibhuti Pathak
When filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan first attended the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 with Masaan, the poignant debut not only earned him critical acclaim but also two prestigious awards in the Un Certain Regard section.
A decade later, Ghaywan returns to the iconic French Riviera with his latest film Homebound, again selected in the same section, but this time under the mentorship of cinematic giants like Martin Scorsese and Karan Johar.
At the India Pavilion in Cannes, Ghaywan discussed how Homebound springs from his long-standing desire to narrate rooted stories often overlooked in mainstream Indian cinema. “Over 60 per cent of our population resides in villages, yet our films rarely reflect them. Urban narratives dominate the screen while the heartland remains unexplored,” he observed.
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Through Homebound, he hopes to spotlight the raw, lived experiences of rural India by personalizing what often gets reduced to statistics. “We talk about people of color or caste in terms of numbers. What if we take one such person and explore their entire journey? That’s where true empathy begins,” he explained.
Backing Homebound is Karan Johar, whose production style is usually associated with grandeur and theatrical flair. However, Johar insists that despite differing cinematic syntax, he and Ghaywan are united by a shared belief in emotionally resonant storytelling. “Our intent is the same – to tell human stories rooted in empathy,” said Johar. “Whether it’s Masaan or Homebound, these films dive deep into interpersonal dynamics and the emotional spectrum, which is what I aim for too – albeit in a more stylised fashion.”
Johar, who has long admired storytellers like Bimal Roy and Guru Dutt, said his love for cinema stretches from the lyrical humanism of Satyajit Ray to the flamboyance of Raj Kapoor. “That spectrum has always fascinated me, and collaborating with Neeraj feels almost disruptive – in a good way,” he added.
For Ghaywan, the partnership opens new doors. “Independent filmmakers often rely on co-productions or government grants, both tied up in red tape. With Karan backing my film, it changes the model entirely and creates new possibilities,” he said.
Both filmmakers agree on one thing: taking Indian cinema to the global stage is not just a dream—it’s a mission. “Last year we saw Payal Kapadia make history at Cannes. Now, she’s on the jury. That kind of representation is a proud moment for us all,” Johar concluded.
With Homebound, Ghaywan and Johar prove that Indian cinema, when rooted in truth and empathy, speaks a universal language.
