Indian filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan has credited Martin Scorsese with helping him sharpen Homebound, India’s official submission for the 2026 international feature Oscar, describing the veteran director as a quiet mentor whose name was kept hidden through much of the film’s development. Speaking at Deadline’s Contenders Film event in Los Angeles and in recent conversations around the film’s U.S. rollout, Ghaywan said Scorsese’s involvement stretched over several years and ran from script to final cut.
Homebound follows two childhood friends from a village in northern India who pursue police jobs as a path to dignity, only to see rising pressure strain their bond. Inspired by a real story from the first COVID-19 lockdown, the film premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in 2025, drew a lengthy standing ovation and later picked up audience recognition at Toronto before being selected as India’s Oscar entry. Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor lead the cast.
Ghaywan has said the production team referred to Scorsese only as “elder brother” in internal discussions so that collaborators and early viewers would engage with the material without being influenced by a famous name. Scorsese, who serves as executive producer, has spoken about “living with” the film for around three years, watching multiple cuts and encouraging the director to stay close to the central friendship and the real events that inspired it while refining structure and rhythm for international audiences.
The film’s rise has coincided with a growing push to bring more Indian independent cinema into North American awards conversations. Supporters see Scorsese’s backing as a sign that established American filmmakers can lend visibility and craft guidance to stories rooted far from Hollywood. Some commentators also caution that such partnerships need space for local voices to set the terms of collaboration, arguing that Homebound will be judged on the strength of its performances and its portrayal of migrant workers rather than the marquee name in its credits.
