- India has picked the movie Homebound to represent the country at the 2025 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category. The film tells a true story about hope, friendship, and survival in difficult times.
Homebound is directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, who is known for making films about real-life struggles. The story follows two young friends, Shoaib and Chandan, from a small village in northern India. Shoaib is Muslim, and Chandan is from a Dalit community. Both dream of becoming police officers. They face tough competition, with millions of people applying for very few jobs, and this puts their friendship and dreams to the test.
The movie also shows the challenges many people face in India because of caste and religion. It explores how the pandemic and financial problems affected families and workers in villages and cities. The film aims to show the struggles of ordinary people and their fight to live with dignitActors Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, who play the two friends, spent time in rural communities to prepare for their roles. They lived with local people, ate meals with them, and learned about their daily lives. This helped the actors perform their roles in a realistic way.
Homebound is executive produced by Martin Scorsese and is available on Netflix. Critics have praised the film for its strong acting, honest storytelling, and inspiring message about hope and resilience.
By choosing Homebound, India is bringing a story of friendship, courage, and survival to the international stage. The film now has a chance to compete with other movies from around the world at the Oscars.
