Homebound
Two childhood friends from a small North Indian village chase a police job that promises them the dignity they’ve long been denied. But as they inch closer to their dream, mounting desperation threatens the bond that holds them together.
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan · Drama · 122 min · 2025
Trailer
Director
Neeraj Ghaywan
Studio
Dharma Productions / Toscan du Plantier
Release
2025-09-26
Runtime
122 min
Genres
Drama
Full Plot
Two friends from a North Indian village pursue police jobs seeking dignity, but their friendship strains as desperation grows in their quest.
Cast & Characters
Mohammed Shoaib Ali
Ishaan Khatter
Chandan Kumar (Valmiki)
Vishal Jethwa
Sudha Bharti
Janhvi Kapoor
Phool Kumari
Shalini Vatsa
Hassan Ali
Pankaj Dubey
Vaishali
Harshika Parmar
Haroon Nawaz
Chandan K Anand
Shoaib's boss
Vijay Vikram Singh
Arjun Mishra
Yogendra Vikram Singh
Vikas Tripathi
Shreedhar Dubey
Awdesh Kumar, Chandan's father
Dadhi R Pandey
Shoaib's mother
Sudipta Saxena
Kuldeep Raghuvanshi
Ghanshyam
Aamir Aziz
Did You Know?
The film's original story was inspired by The New York Times 2020 essay Taking Amrit Home (now retitled A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway) by Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Homebound received universal critical acclaim from the critics, who praised Ghaywan's direction, the writing and the dialogues, performances, the themes and the editing.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Homebound holds 7.7/10 on TMDb (60 votes). (Not in OMDb — sourced from TMDb instead.)
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on TMDb's aggregated score (7.7/10 on TMDb (60 votes)), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Homebound's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Homebound holds a 97% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Is Homebound good? What are critics saying?+
Homebound holds 7.7/10 on TMDb (60 votes). (Not in OMDb — sourced from TMDb instead.)
How long is Homebound?+
Homebound has a runtime of 122 min.
Who directed Homebound?+
Homebound was directed by Neeraj Ghaywan.
Where can I watch Homebound?+
Homebound is available to stream, rent, or buy on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "Homebound" is overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the film's storytelling and performances. Reviewers appreciate the movie's ability to tackle social issues through a cinematic lens, with some commenting on its emotional impact. Critics also laud Vishal Jethwa for his portrayal of the lead character's struggles.
From the trailer's comments
You don't need villains when the system itself is the villain.
@Ayuschhetri · 538 likesThis is the kind of movies that we should be watching in theaters!! These are the kind of stories we as an audience should be promoting!
@heycountonme · 2132 likesCan't believe his the same villian from Mardaani 2, what an actor Vishal👏👌❤
@WollyD-y9n · 2439 likesJust watched this on the big screen today and experienced every emotion the film portrayed 😅❤ The second half made us cry . The acting is so brilliant by both of the leading actors. It was so so good .
@susmita9714 · 222 likesSpeechless... This is what the INDIAN film industry should be making...films like these that talk about various social problems and create awareness through the art of cinema, can't wait to watch this when it releases 🫶
@mardenfernandes5526 · 4275 likesVishal Jethwa mom used to sell everything door to door and on trains because his dad passed away at young age, he comes from poor family. Seeing him here makes me so so happy, hope he gets more success❤❤
@Winnterrhjshdhdjeheheheh · 1572 likespeople will still ignore this film in theaters, just to call it a masterpiece 10 years later 🙃
@dukhidarshak · 3868 likesPahchan wo nhi hai jo pakrai gyi hai, pachan to wo hoti hai jo hm khud bnate hai.. goosebumps
@salonisingh-si6id · 125 likes
