Homebound Director Neeraj Ghaywan On Spending Two Months In Villages Before Film: It Changed Something Within Me | EXCLUSIVE

Long before the cameras rolled on Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa's Homebound, filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan and the boys immersed themselves in the lives that inspired the film. Spending nearly two months

in villages as part of their preparation for the hard-hitting movie, they encountered moments of quiet generosity and lived the truth. Ghaywan, during Zoom's Best Performances Directors 2025 roundtable, recalled the little gestures that stayed with him and subtly reshaped the way he approached the story. "It changed something in me," said the director, calling the journey a rewarding process.Talking about Homebound's pre-shoot prep, he said, "It has reinstated my belief in how much lived experiences make a story. I’m sure the actors may have spoken to you about how we did workshops with them for almost two months, about accent and stuff, but the real change happened when we went and spent time in the villages. We had to see work inside hearts, inside the actual places they would be inhabiting. We took them in their actual costumes and aged them."He recalled visiting a small house there for lunch. "I was just so overwhelmed eating in that house. I thanked the man and he hugged me and said, 'Aadmi gareeb hoon, lekin khana achha khilaunga, sir.” There was so much love, and I don’t know why, but I ended up crying."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al8zwxBOAkw

"At that moment, I felt that life happening right here is so much bigger than me making a film about it. I just felt so small. I think the whole journey has been such a rewarding experience—people coming and finding catharsis in their own lives through it. Because I think we tend to overlook people, especially those from marginalized communities. Them being seen, heard, and validated—that sort of experience humbles you. It has definitely changed something within me. I think I’ve become even more empathetic, and I’ve become a better listener," said the filmmaker.He also shared how his conversations with the villagers shaped Homebound, which has been shortlisted for Oscars 2026.