Director Defends 'Homebound' Compensation Amid Oscar Nomination Buzz

In a major achievement, the film 'Homebound', directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, has been selected as India's official entry for the Oscars 2026 in the Best International Feature Film category. The film, which stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, tells a moving story inspired by two real-life boys, Amrit and Saiyub, who travelled during the lockdown to reach their home.

However, the big Oscar news was soon followed by a report suggesting that Amrit's father was given only Rs 10,000 by the filmmakers and that they never stayed in touch afterwards. Addressing the controversy, Ghaywan has now clarified that the Rs 10,000 was a small token he had personally given to Amrit's father during the initial research, and that it was not the full compensation.

The director emphasized that the families' contributions were invaluable and deeply meaningful to him, and that the filmmakers had honored their trust and stories with sincere respect and significant support. Ghaywan further revealed that the families themselves had expressed their happiness to him about the collaboration.

'Homebound' received a nine-minute standing ovation at this year's Cannes International Film Festival and is set to release in India on September 26, 2025. The film tells the story of two childhood friends from a small village in North India who dream of becoming police officers, but face challenges that test their friendship and choices.