Ishaan Khatter Embraces Diverse Roles, from 'The Royals' to Oscar-Bound 'Homebound'

In a recent interview, actor Ishaan Khatter, who is earning praise for his performance in the film 'Homebound' - India's official entry to the Oscars 2026 - discussed his acting journey and the experience of working on the powerful project.

Khatter reflected on the stark contrast between his roles in the international series 'The Royals' and the socially rooted 'Homebound'. When asked about the transition between such vastly different projects, the actor simply stated, "It's the job," adding with a smile, "The pay cheque helped."

Khatter spoke passionately about his approach to acting, emphasizing the importance of fully immersing himself in a character. "That's the fun of doing what we do. And for me, I've always felt that if you're not immersing yourself fully, it's an opportunity lost, because who knows when you'll get another chance." He continued, "A lot of actors have this 'keeda' -- you get to live so many lives on screen in one lifetime. At least you get to experience the flavour of them. The immersion is the most exciting part of this vocation."

The actor credited director Neeraj Ghaywan for creating an environment that encourages complete dedication to the role, saying, "Luckily, you have a director like Neeraj bhai who really pushes the actors to give themselves completely to a role -- not just use your craft shrewdly, but really try and live it, to give something of yourself to the character."