Homebound: Karan Johar elated with Martin Scorsese backing Ishaan Khatter-Janhvi Kapoor film

It has been ten years since Neeraj Ghaywan made waves with his maiden feature Masaan. While the acclaimed filmmaker was involved in directing short projects in the OTT space, on anthologies and web series, it was only now that Ghaywan announced a second feature-length film. Titled Homebound, and starring Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor, the film was selected in the Un Certain Regard section at the upcoming edition of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

To make things even sweeter, filmmaking legend Martin Scorsese confirmed his involvement by coming aboard as an executive producer. Homebound is produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions jointly with Mélita Toscan du Plantier, who also backed Masaan, which, after its Cannes debut in 2015, won the Avenir and Fipresci prizes in the Un Certain Regard section.

In his statement, Scorsese mentioned that he saw Masaan in 2015 and loved it and that when Mélita Toscan du Plantier notified him of Neeraj's second film, he got curious. "I loved the story and the culture and was willing to help. 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,” he added.

Reacting to the note, Karan wrote on Instagram: “'Homebound' is an extraordinary confluence of talent, vision, and storytelling at its finest. Having Martin Scorsese, a true legend of cinema, lend his wisdom and support to Neeraj’s remarkable vision elevates our film to a rare artistic height. With an incredibly gifted cast and the prestigious stage of Cannes, we eagerly look forward to sharing ‘Homebound’s powerful story with audiences around the world.”

According to the official synopsis published by Variety, the film revolves around two childhood friends from a small North Indian village dreaming of a police job that "promises them the dignity they’ve long been denied. But as they inch closer to their dream, mounting desperation threatens the bond that holds them together."

Earlier, Ghaywan posted on his social media handle that he was honoured to see the iconic filmmaker attach his name to his film and offered helpful, valuable inputs. “Mr. Scorsese mentored us through the screenplay and multiple rounds of editing. He listened with care, understood the cultural context, and offered thoughtful, incisive notes each time. His kindness and commitment are extraordinary, and to have him nurture our film has been both a rare privilege and a profoundly humbling experience.”

This is not the first time Scorsese has shown his support for Indian cinema. He was in the past instrumental in restoring Indian film classics such as Girish Kasaravalli's Ghatashraddha (1977) and Malayalam filmmaker G Aravindan's Kummatty (1979) through The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project.

As an executive producer, Scorsese backed numerous international films in the past, most notably, the Safdie Brothers' Uncut Gems, Joanna Hogg's The Souvenir - Part II, and Paul Schrader's The Card Counter, among others.

Ghaywan last directed two episodes of the Prime Video series Made in Heaven. Before that, he directed the segment Geeli Pucchi in the Netflix anthology Ajeeb Daastaans, also a Karan Johar production, and co-directed all eight episodes of Sacred Games Season 2 with Anurag Kashyap.

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