Homebound

Two kids from a small North Indian village grow up believing a police post could lift their lives from quiet desperation. Mohammed Shoaib Ali and Chandan Kumar share jokes, chores, and the belief that the badge will earn them respect their families have long denied. As the job contest draws near, the daily grind tightens its grip: exams looming, debts mounting, and the social pressure to prove themselves. The film follows their late night study sessions, shared meals, and whispered plans as they weigh loyalty against ambition. What begins as a simple plan to belong in a system that prizes authority soon tests the strength of their bond and the choices they make when the stakes rise.

Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, Homebound is built from an original script by Sumit Roy, Basharat Peer, and Varun Grover. The cast centers on Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, supported by Shalini Vatsa and Pankaj Dubey.

Box office details for Homebound have not been publicly released. The film has been positioned as a serious dramatic work rather than a commercial blockbuster, with a measured release strategy that prioritizes intimate storytelling over spectacle.

Critics are likely to focus on the emotional weight of two friends facing a difficult crossroads and the way the village setting is used to examine dignity and social pressure. The film threads loyalty, necessity, and moral compromise through restrained performances and careful direction.