Box office buzz: 'Homebound' struggles to find footing
Neeraj Ghaywan's "Homebound," produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra, and featuring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, hit theaters on September 26, 2025.
The film follows two friends from a North Indian village chasing their dream of joining the police, while facing injustice and the challenges of a pandemic.
Inspired by a New York Times article, it was picked as India's official entry for the 2026 Oscars and even had Martin Scorsese as Executive Producer.
'Homebound' fails to impress at box office
Despite festival buzz at Cannes and TIFF, "Homebound" managed just ₹3.47cr in India after 15 days—pulling in only ₹10 lakh on Day 15.
Limited screens and tough competition made it hard for the film to connect with a wider audience.
KJo on film's performance
Karan Johar openly recognized the film's critical success, saying, "Growth comes from profit, and profit comes from profitability. I will always be an artist, but it is also vital to be commercial."
Even with big names and Oscar hopes, "Homebound" proves that critical acclaim doesn't always mean box office gold.