Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, Vishal Jethwa’s Homebound Selected for Toronto International Film Festival 2025
Mumbai: The film Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa, has been chosen for the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in the Gala Presentations category. Producer Karan Johar shared the news on Instagram, stating, “#Homebound has been officially selected for the Toronto International Film Festival 2025 (@tiff_net) in the Gala Presentations category. Extremely thrilled and elated to be a part of this prestigious festival – another time for us at Dharma.”
The drama, centered on themes of friendship, dignity, and survival, previously made waves at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, premiering in the Un Certain Regard section and earning a nine-minute standing ovation. It also secured a nomination for Best Film at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025, competing with films like Kalki 2898 AD, L2: Empuraan, Maharaj, Meiyazhagan, Stree 2, and Superboys of Malegaon.
Directed by Ghaywan, known for his acclaimed debut Masaan, Homebound follows two childhood friends from a North Indian village striving to become police officers to overcome societal marginalization. Inspired by an essay by Basharat Peer, the film features Ishaan Khatter as Mohammed Shoaib Ali, Janhvi Kapoor as Sudha Bharti, Vishal Jethwa as Chandan Kumar, and Harshika Parmar as Vaishali, Chandan’s sister.
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Produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra under Dharma Productions, with Martin Scorsese as executive producer, the film has garnered international praise. Scorsese noted, “Neeraj has made a beautifully crafted film that’s a significant contribution to Indian Cinema. I am glad the movie is an official selection at Un Certain Regard in Cannes this year.” Ghaywan described Homebound as “a deeply personal story about friendship, dignity, and survival,” highlighting its portrayal of rural India’s unseen struggles.
An India release date for Homebound is yet to be confirmed, but its selection for TIFF, held from September 4 to 14, 2025, underscores its growing global recognition.