Homebound

Bollywood doesn't make good films!!!

Like many of us, this was my favorite line to throw whenever talking about Indian cinema. But deep inside, I knew that whenever a good film released, I never turned up at the theatre to actually watch or support it. Luckily, not this time.

If you've watched Masaan or even heard the praise around it, this is from the same director - and he has now given us Homebound.

It's the story of two friends and their struggles against the deeply chauvinistic, casteist, and communal society we are all a part of. Shoaib and Chandan represent so many of us who were mocked, suppressed, and abused for our caste or religion. We all dreamt of becoming so successful that we could escape this bullying - but real life doesn't work like that, not even for Shoaib and Chandan.

And yet, in the middle of hatred and a system that keeps punching down, their friendship blossoms beautifully. Chandan needs a job so he can build a pakka makan for his labourer parents and marry off his sister. Shoaib wants one for his disabled father, who can no longer work. Somehow, through their brilliance and sharp skills, they achieve success - but the system once again pushes them back into poverty. To escape, they take up work as labourers, until Covid hits.

What happens next? Please go to the theatre to witness it yourself.

When the movie ended, we were left speechless. The hall had barely 25-30 people, but every single one of us sat through the credits, trying to digest what we had just experienced. Clapping for this brilliant film was the least we could do - and we did.

In the end, this is my heartfelt request: please go to the theatre and support this movie ♥

I have always been against the idea of reservation. Coming from a place where equality is practiced and discrimination is rarely visible, I never truly understood why such policies existed. My mindset was shaped by an environment where everyone seemed equal, and so I felt reservations were unnecessary.

But after watching Homebound, my perspective changed completely. I have seen many films on this topic before, but somehow this one left a much deeper impact on me. It forced me to reflect on the long history of suffering and humiliation faced by lower-caste communities.

For the first time, I truly felt the weight of their struggles, and it made me realize how privileged I was to never experience such injustice. Thinking about the generations who endured discrimination fills me with shame, but also gratitude for the awareness this movie gave me.

Homebound is not just a film-it's an eye-opener. It has the power to change minds, as it did with mine.

This is a simple story that is well-told.

It shows the twists and turns in the lives of two friends who are part of India's massive underclass, and their hopes, dreams, and struggles to rise beyond their circumstances.

Religious affiliation, which includes caste is a big stumbling block (through no fault of their own). Living payday to payday, and lack of accessibility to education are other issues.

And then the pandemic came along and this movie shows how countless migrant workers were affected by lockdowns. Losing your income when their is no margin for error financially, then having to find your way back home, sometimes thousands of miles away.

This movie showed a lot of relevant issues faced by Indians today. Acting was superb all around, starting with the two friends, and including their family members, and others who were a part of their lives.

This is what I go to film festivals for, to see movies of this quality that allow you to feel and understand what others' existence is like.

The film opens like a bruise and never looks away, charting two friends split by how they wear identity-one hides caste, one holds faith-yet crushed by the same weight of injustice. It's humane, unsentimental, and quietly devastating.

The first half captures the social dilemma with granular realism.

Post-interval, the film turns into a metaphor made flesh-it's the weather of their lives, storming through choices, pride, and survival.

The actors are piercing without showiness. A mother's gasp, clutching sandals, freezes the room and etches grief in one breath.

The leads carry exhaustion in their shoulders, tenderness in brief embraces, and the ache of choices that never feel like choices.

Birds rising and dropping against a blank sky, bodies stalled on a bridge, faces caught between sirens and silence. Cuts linger just long enough to sting, the score steps back so the world's sounds can accuse, and the design moves from cramped rooms to transit limbo with unforced clarity.

In a nutshell, movie that leaves the eyes numb and the chest heavy, because it catalogs what happens around us, by us, to us-reality, witnessed without anesthesia, and rendered with aching, beautiful precision.

"Homebound" is one of those rare films that hits you right in the heart. It's a deeply relatable story, layered with intense and often heartbreaking moments, all while never losing its emotional core. The film really shines a light on issues that feel incredibly relevant to what many families go through in India even today.

What stands out is how the movie blends a universal sense of empathy with a compelling message. It's not just a drama; it's a conversation starter about societal pressures, family ties, and the resilience of the human spirit. I found myself both moved and inspired, and I think anyone watching will come away feeling the same way.

In short, "Homebound" is a beautifully crafted film that delivers a strong and timely message, wrapped in a very relatable and heartfelt narrative. Definitely worth a watch and a review!