Martin Scorsese hosts special screening of Homebound in New York; Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa in awe of the auteur

Martin Scorsese hosted a screening of Homebound in New York, featuring a Q&A with director Neeraj Ghaywan.

Legendary filmmaker and executive producer Martin Scorsese recently hosted a special screening of Homebound in New York, followed by an insightful Q&A session with the film’s director, Neeraj Ghaywan. After receiving a warm reception at its Cannes premiere, Homebound has now been selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars in the Best International Film category.

Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, explores friendships during the pandemic and has been recognized globally, premiering at Cannes and selected as India’s Oscar entry. The film’s screening in New York featured Martin Scorsese and a celebration of its success.

Martin Scorsese calms Neeraj Ghaywan

Ahead of the screening, Martin posed for photos with the Homebound team, including lead actors Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, who play best friends Shoaib and Chandan. The film, written and directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, is inspired by Basharat Peer’s 2020 New York Times article about two friends navigating life during the lockdown. Produced by Dharma Productions, the studio shared glimpses from the event, calling it “a night to remember” as the cast and crew celebrated the film’s journey surrounded by cinematic greats.

Director Neeraj Ghaywan took to X (formerly Twitter) to reflect on what he called “the highest point” of his career, sharing how Scorsese put him at ease before their discussion. “Mr. Scorsese saw I was nervous and narrated a funny anecdote about being mistaken for the Hillside Strangler just to calm me down,” Neeraj revealed. “That’s the generous, selfless master that he is.”

The screening also saw attendance from South actor Siddharth and filmmaker Mira Nair, who came to support the film and its Oscar campaign. Neeraj expressed deep gratitude, writing, “I don’t know what the future holds for this film, but this moment right here, sitting across from Martin Scorsese, is the biggest award for me.”

About Homebound

Homebound is a drama written and directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, inspired by Basharat Peer’s 2020 New York Times article. The film explores the lives of two friends, Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), and navigating personal and societal challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown.

With its Cannes premiere and selection as India’s official entry for the Oscars in the Best International Film category, Homebound is being recognised as one of the most anticipated Indian films on the global stage. It was released on September 26 in India.