'Homebound': Why Neeraj Ghaywan cast Janhvi, Ishaan, Vishal
Neeraj Ghaywan is back after nearly a decade with Homebound, which is India's official pick for the 2026 Oscars.
He cast Janhvi Kapoor as Sudha Bharti, a Dalit character, and chose Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa for their acting talent and deep inner hunger to portray the character with intensity.
Ghaywan shared that he wanted actors who could really connect with these complex roles.
Preparation process for the actors and production details
To help the cast truly understand their characters, Ghaywan had them read Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's Annihilation of Caste and spend time in villages to get real-life perspective.
He emphasized the need to step out of privileged lives and confront reality, highlighting his focus on honest storytelling.
The film is produced by Dharma Productions with Martin Scorsese as executive producer—a pretty exciting team-up!